2o6 Brewster and Chapman oti Trinidad Birds. Flulv 



them, and it was only after repeated observations we became- 

 convinced tliat the ting was an integral part of the //// call. While 

 uttering these notes the bird sits rather erect and perfectly 

 motionless save for a slight tremulous movement of the throat 

 and tail which accompanies the delivery of each ////. 



The third note, taiig^ is also repeated a number of times — 

 eighteen to thirty-three — in quick succession. It sounds much 

 louder than the //// and the intervals between the notes, though 

 short, are well marked. Sometimes the bird began slowly and 

 gradually increased the rapidity of its utterance, at others there 

 were regular intervals between the notes. The tang may be 

 likened to the sound produced by striking a piece of bar iron a 

 sharp blow with a hammer. It is accompanied or followed by a 

 distinctly metallic but not clear, ringing vibration. At a distance 

 of one hundred yards the tang sounds like a slow strumming on 

 the C natural string of a banjo, as Mr. Carr actually demon- 

 strated. It can be heard at a greater distance than the tui but 

 not so far as the bok and at two hundred yards would attract the 

 attention of only a practiced ear. 



While 'tanging' the bird sits rather erect, the head well up, the 

 wings drooping beneath the closed tail. At each utterance the 

 tail vibrates slightly, there is a marked swelling of the black 

 throat, and the mouth is opened to its widest extent, the lower 

 mandible being worked with some apparent effort while the upper 

 mandible and rest of the head are held perfectly motionless. 



Although probably an extremely local and not very active 

 species the bird was alert and watchful. Its movements were 

 quick, the head being often turned from side to side, or the wings 

 were twitched nervously, and at more or less regular intervals it 

 would turn squarely on its perch and face in the opposite direction. 

 The fleshy appendages on the Bell-bird's throat resemble bits of 

 leather shoe-string. They hang loosely in the freshly killed 

 specimen and are then so conspicuous that we were surprised to 

 find they could not at any time be distinguished on the living 

 birds. 



The greenish plumage of the female Bell-bird renders it so 

 difficult of observation that even Mr. Carr was not familiar with 

 it. It was therefore a rare bit of good fortune for us that a 



