348 



Wells, Birds of the Island of Carriacou. lo t 



This migrant appears in August when large flocks mav be seen near the 

 sea coast, darting about, and occasionallj resting on a dry twig. They 

 disappear in November and December. 



6S. Vireo calidris [Linn.). Bastard Grieve. — In the early mornings, 

 notably in the months of April and Maj', the note of this bird is heard 

 repeated energetically every few seconds, Siveet, too szveet, not-ioo-srveet, 

 as it creeps along the branches of the tamarind trees. It is a shy bird 

 and yet inquisitve, as it will come quietly to the end of a branch to peep 

 at anyone standing under the tree, and on the least motion being made 

 by the person, it makes off quickly. Its food is principally insects, but 

 it also eats a small red berry, the fruit of a wild shrub. It is pretty well 

 distributed all over the island. It builds a pensile nest, usually in the 

 fork of a small twig, and sometimes suspended between two twigs, very 

 compactly formed of dried grasses and fine tendrils intermixed with cot- 

 ton wool. In shape the nest is like a deep teacup. The three eggs are 

 white, with a few scattered spots of dark brown, and measure .88 X -60. 



69. Ccereba saccharina (Zft^v;-.). Sucrier ; Yellow See-see. — This 

 pretty little bird is numerous in Carriacou, and may be seen wherever 

 there are blossom«, it being fond of the insects found in the petals; it 

 also is partial to the fruit of the prickly pear. It nests both in trees and 

 in houses, the nests built outside are dome-shaped, those inside are gen- 

 erally built to suit a space between two beams or flat on the sill. The 

 church in Hillsborough is a favorite nesting place of this bird. I have 

 seen a pair busily engaged building a nest on a chandelier in the church 

 whilst divine service was being held and over 500 persons were in the 

 building. A pair built a nest and reared their young in a tethering 

 chain hung up for sale in one of the shops in Hillsborough. I might 

 cite many other queer nesting places. 



On a window sill in my otflce, a goblet of water is placed every daj' to 

 cool; a pair of these birds seem to consider it is put there for their sole 

 use and benefit; they will perch on the rim, take a drink, and then pro- 

 ceed to have a bath, and sprinkle the water about. 



The eggs are three in number, of a dull white thickly spotted with 

 brown. 



70. Seiurus naevius {Bodd.). Water Thrush. — On the outskirts of 

 the mangrove swamps this lively little bii-d may be seen, hopping about 

 and flicking its tail up, uttering at the same time its note tseep, tsecp. It 

 is a migrant, though I have observed one or two all the year round. 



71. Mimus gilvus (Vieill.). Mockingbird; Pied Carreau. — The 

 conditions of this island seem particularly to suit this bird, as it is found 

 in profusion ; in fact, it is the commonest bird here. Everywhere its song 

 may be heard, always varying and ever delightful. Its notes may be heard 

 at intervals on moonlight nights, which has gained for it the name of the 

 West Indian Nightingale. It feeds on both fruit and insects, and is very 

 partial to the berry of the black sage. It has been accused of eating the 

 eggs of other birds, but of this I have no personal knowledge. It nests 



