^°'; ^^-^J BowDi?,n, Birds of Porto Rico. 3^9 



"They fly just over the waves, usually with steady beat of wing, but 

 occasionally sailing for a distance with wing-tips curving down. At times 

 they enter the water at a very slight angle while thus sailing. Again they 

 rise some ten feet and descend perpendicularly, like an arrow, into the 

 water. They dive readily and leave the water with the utmost ease, seem- 

 ing to start as from a solid perch the instant they appear on the surface." 



• 9. Pelecanus occidentalis. Brown Pelican. — Common everywhere 

 about the coast of the main island, and on Vieques Island. Saw none, 

 however, on Mona or Decicheo, nor did I locate any breeding place. 



• 10. Fregata aquila. Man-o'-War Bird. — Common about the coast 

 of the main island and on the islands of Vieques, Mona, and Decicheo, 

 breeding on the two latter. On June 24, 1900, at Decicheo, a young male, 

 nearly full grown but in immature plumage and unable to fly, was taken. 

 My notes say: "Not well feathered ; tail square, fork not developed; head 

 and much of the plumage white ; bill and feet bright blue." 



■ II. Phcenicopterus ruber. American Flamingo. — This bird is said 

 to occur at times in the lagoons about Cabo Rojo. 



12. Ardea herodias. Great Blue Heron. — -Common in suitable 

 localities. 



. 13. Herodias egretta. American Egret. — Common in suitable 

 localities. 



■ 14. Florida caerulea. Little Blue Heron. — Common in suitable 

 localities and particularly in the mangrove swamps about San Juan Bay 

 where they doubtless breed. 



• 15. Butorides virescens. Green Heron. — Common everywhere 

 about the small streams, and quite fearless, allowing close approach. 

 Several stomachs examined contained, respectively, remains of lizards 

 and crabs, and one whole fish about six inches long ; a kind of water 

 beetle about three quarters of an inch long, many entire ; crawfish and 

 grasshoppers; eleven crawfish ; small live worins. 



■ 16. Nyctanassa violacea. Yellow-crowned Night Heron. — Com- 

 mon in the localities visited. I even found it common on Mona, which 

 seemed rather remarkable, as it is a dry, hot rock, with no sign of lagoon 

 or swamp. Stomachs examined contained: fiddler crabs; two fresh 

 water eels about six inches long, and two crawfish ; also a number of live 

 worms which may have been taken in with other food. 



17. Rallus longirostris caribaeus. Caribbean Clapper Rail. — 

 Shot a male in a mangrove swamp near San Juan Bay, July 21, 1S99. 

 Stomach contained a few remains of fiddler crabs. 



• iS. Gallinula galeata. Florida Gallinule. — Bought a female, 

 with slightly developed ovaries, from a lad at Aguadilla, June 10, 1900. 

 Stomach contained remains of small aquatic life. At Mayaguez, on June 

 13, 1901, a boy had two adults alive with the wings clipped. 



. 19. Tringa maculata. Pectoral Sandpiper. — Sept. 26, 1900, during 

 a ' wave ' of Sandpipers, I took at a mud-flat in a cocoa grove, a female of 

 this species, and I shot a male at the same place on Oct. 2. The stomachs 

 in each case contained fiddler crabs. 



