iSc)2.] Scott on the Birch of Jamaica. \ C 



throughout the months of November and December, sometimes singly, 

 sometimes in pairs, and oftenest in small flocks. During my stay on the 

 north side of the island, from the last of December till the middle of 

 March, I saw them daily in suitable localities. At Boston a flock of twenty 

 to thirty individuals frequented the large pasture below the house during 

 the entire three months spent at this point. This flock still remained un- 

 broken on Maich 17, the day I left this point. 



The following record of the breeding of the species I quote from Mr. 

 Taylor's notes : "An abundant resident species, though I know nothing of 

 its habits. It is described as frequenting bare open localities rather than 

 marshes, etc., and I have never met with it near the seashore or even in 

 the vicinity. Three eggs received in July last (much incubated) labelled 

 'Ring-tailed Plover,' are obviously referable to this species." 



93. iEgialitis semipalmata Boiiap. Semipalmated Plover. — See 

 Gosse, 'Birds of Jamaica,' p. 333, and March, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 

 1S64, p. 66, also Albrecht, J. f. O. 1862, p. 205, for records from Jamaica. 



94. iEgialitis meloda {Ord). Piping Plover. — The following notes 

 are kindly furnished me by Mr. Taylor: "In October, 1SS7, Piping Plo- 

 ver were abundant among the lagoons and mangrove svvamps at the Pal- 

 lisades; ihey moved about in large flocks which, when once alighted on 

 the shell-bestrewn beaches, it was impossible to detect." 



95. yEgialitis wilsonia (O/y/). Wilson's Plover. — From Mr. Taylor's 

 notes I quote : "This was the only Plover seen at Port Henderson. Small 

 flocks daily resorted to the large shallows frequented by the Herons and 

 Stilts. It is apparently resident." 



96. Arenaria interpres {Linn.). Turnstone. — P'rom Mr. Taylor's notes 

 I quote as follows: "On a much later date in June than that on which I 

 last saw the Black-necked Stilt, three Turnstones were shot near Passage 

 Fort; their plumage was then undergoing change. The occurrence of 

 these birds at this time of the j-ear seems worthy of note, though these 

 individuals may have been only stragglers from the main flocks, or per- 

 haps barren birds. During the winter months the Turnstone is common 

 in all favorable localities, It was the first bird I saw on landing at the 

 Morant Cays in April, 1890. At that time large flocks frequented the dif- 

 ferent islets particularly the largest two. In the mornings and afternoons 

 they fed along the shores, as well as on many of the bare open spaces 

 where the grass had been burnt away and from which I often flushed a 

 flock." 



^^97. Jacana spinosa {Liun.). The following notes are from Mr. Taylor, 

 and he kindly showed me the bird in question : "Notice of the species here, 

 hitherto recorded only from Cuba, Haiti and San Domingo, is based 

 on a specimen of an immature bird in the collection of the Institute of 

 Jamaica, where it remained for a long time in a neglected state, uncared 

 forand unidentified. It is labelled '12-12-86, presented by H. O. Vickers, 

 locality, Westmoreland.' The sex is undetermined. I have not met with 

 the living bird." 



(Z'f be continued.^ 



