BIRDS OF THE BAHAMA ISLANDS. 53 



ground. The old birds were very tame, the male perching himself 

 upon the end of a twig, not two feet from my hand, and singing 

 away as merrily as possible, seemingly with the intention of attract- 

 ing me away from the nest. I never had heard before a bird of this 

 species utter such varied and pleasing song. The poor little female 

 fluttered anxiously around me, and upon my removing the nest, she 

 hopped down into the crotch where it had rested, and after peering 

 about for a few seconds, seemed in such distress that I was almost 

 tempted to replace the nest and leave her in the happy possession 

 of her treasures. 



It is a curious fact that, during the month of January, out of a 

 series of some fifty specimens which were shot and examined, only 

 a single male bird was taken ; but later in the season, the males and 

 females seemed to be about equally distributed. 



Dr. Bryant found this species very abundant at Inagua. 



Fig. Aud. Bds. N. A., Vol. I. pi. 70. 



