iSg2.| CoKY, III Cuba -.//// Dr. Ciiiid/nc/i. I'j t 



IN CUBA WITH DR. GUNDLACIl. 



I5V CHARLES B. CORY. 



During the past winter the writer spent several weeks on the 

 Ishiiul of Cuba in company with the well-known naturalist, Dr. 

 John Gundlach, who, although he is nearly eighty-two years old, 

 still continnes his investigations with the enthusiasm and energy 

 of a young man. A tramp of several miles is thought little of by 

 the old Doctor, and I have seen him hunting for shells during a 

 hard rain shower with the utmost unconcern as to the conse- 

 quences of a good wetting. 



We passed a number of days collecting birds in the vicinity of 

 Havana, sometimes crossing the bay and taking the train as far as 

 Cohimar- Although birds were abundant, we found only the 

 more common species. 



Every morning we visited the markets where at times many 

 birds are brought in and offered for sale by the native hunters. 

 There are two good markets in Havana, and any one wishing to 

 prociu-e birds for specimens should visit them fit daybreak, as the 

 markets open at about two or three o'clock in the morning and 

 many of the best things are sold as soon as they are brought in 

 by the hunters. Some mornings we found quite a variety of 

 birds, while on others there were only a few Pigeons and one or 

 two Qiiails to be had. Woodpeckers, Hawks antl White Ibises, 

 the latter with the beak and legs cut off, were often seen hanging 

 with bunches of Doves and Meadowlarks. 



The Pigeons, Doves and Qiiails are generally sold alive, being 

 sent to the market in cages. The Blue-headed Dove {StariianMS ?^ 

 cyanocephala) is considered the best, and they sell readily for 

 $2.00 in paper money (equal to about 90 cents of our silver) per 

 pair. At the bird stalls we often observed two species of Cuban 

 mammals, Capromys fou7-nieri and Cap)-o7nys prehensilis ; the 

 flesh of both of these is much esteemed by the people, the larger 

 species being considered the better. During our visits to the 

 markets we saw the following species of birds offered for sale at 

 ditferent times. 



