﻿Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire. 311 



colour was exceedingly pretty, but soon faded away after 

 the birds were skinned. Iris deep brown; bill and feet 

 black. 



40. Larus atricilla, Linn. 



Often seen on the coasts of Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire. 



III. Birds of Curasao. 



Curacao had been twice visited by collectors before my 

 arrival, and two articles had been written on its birds. 

 Ridgway (Proc. U. S. N. M. vii. pp. 173-177, 1884) enu- 

 merated 6 species. Berlepsch (J. f. O. 1892, p. 61) gave 

 19 species, the results of a collecting-tour made by Herr 

 Peters, who appended to Berlepsch's admirable essay a list 

 of 51 species supposed to occur on Curasao. Of these 51 

 species, examples of 18 only were collected, and about 16 re- 

 mained more or less doubtful or were founded on the 

 erroneous information of the natives. Peters's list, however, 

 contains some very useful field-notes, local names, and other 

 information. 



My collection contains examples of all the species that 

 have been hitherto identified with certainty, except one*. 



I am greatly obliged for much help and kindness to Mijn- 

 heer Harry Barge, the Governor of the Dutch West Indies, 

 to Mijnheer van der Linde Schotborgh, owner of the beautiful 

 estate of Savonet, and to the chemist, Herr Ludwig, who 

 takes an ardent interest in the natural history of Curasao. 



1. Mimus gilvus rostratus, Ridgw. Proc. U. S. N. M. 

 1884, p. 137; Berl. J. f. O. 1892, p. 74; Peters, t. c. p. 115. 



Common. See above, p. 294. 



Eggs were taken in June and July, but at the same time 

 full-grown nestlings were found. 



2. Dendrceca rufopileata, Ridgw. Proc. U. S. N. M. 

 1881, p. 173 (type from Curacao) ; Berl. J. f. O. 1892, 

 p. 76. 



I have collected a series of twenty specimens of this bird 



* Ardea herodias, Linn, 



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