° ioie J Wetmore, Birds of Vieques Island, P. R. 419 



from Porto Rico. Birds were taken on March 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 

 29, and 30. 



61. Dolichonyx oryzivorus (Linnseus). Bobolink. — Apparently a 

 rare migrant . Gundlach ^ says that the BoboHnk has been taken on 

 Vieques Island and Cory (1892, p. 110) also reports it. 



[Icterus portoricensis (Bryant). Porto Rican Oriole. — It would 

 seem that the record for this bird given by Mr. Bowdish (1902-3, p. 12) 

 was a lapsus. The same author remarks in the ' Oologist ' for 1900, page 

 73, that the Porto Rican Oriole was not found. Personally I could find 

 no one to whom they were known on Vieques.] 



62. Holoquiscalus brachypterus (Cassin). Porto Rican Black- 

 bird. — Resident. Though during his visit Mr. Bowdish (1900, p. 73) 

 found this blackbird common and frequently associated in large flocks, in 

 1912 it was only tolerably common and was very local in its distribution. 

 It seemed to prefer the more open regions immediately at the coast but 

 one flock of half a dozen was seen in a dense thicket. Birds were secured 

 on March 19, 21 and 29. 



63. Molothrus atronitens Cabanis. Glossy Cowbird. — Acci- 

 dental. One is recorded by Newton (Ibis, 1860, p. 308) as obtained from 

 Vieques Island by Mr. Riise of St. Thomas. 



[Tanagra sclateri (Sundevall). Porto Rican Euphonia.— I was told 

 that late in the fall of 1910 Mr. Reed then Presbyterian minister at Isabel 

 II made an attempt to introduce this species into Vieques. Forty birds 

 were purchased in Ponce and of these a dozen were accidentally released 

 on the playa at Port Mulas as they were brought ashore. The others were 

 kept in confinement but during the next few months escaped a few at a 

 time. A few remained around Mr. Reed's house for some time and three 

 months after the departure of the captives a flock of twelve was seen. Since 

 this they have disappeared entirely.] 



64. Tiaris bicolor omissa (Jardine). Carib Grassquit. — A com- 

 mon resident. A few of these grassquits were found in sheltered draws 

 feeding on the ground under the bushes but the greater number were 

 associated, fifteen or twenty together, with the other grassquits in grass- 

 grown openings in the brush. When distm-bed they flew up into the bushes 

 and worked away ahead of me with soft call-notes or if I remained quiet 

 dropped to the ground again to continue feeding. Though molting slightly 

 birds taken seemed to be about to breed. Specimens were taken on March 

 18, 21, 22, 23, 25 and 27. 



65. Tiaris olivacea bryanti {Ridgway). Bryant's Grassquit. — 

 A common resident. A few were found along the roads running through 

 the cane but most of these grassquits were in mixed flocks with the preced- 

 ing species. All of the specimens examined were undergoing a partial 

 molt and there was no indication among them that the breeding season 

 was near. Birds were secured on March IS, 22 and 23. 



1 Ornithologia Cubana, 1893, p. 118. 



