Vol. XT Scott on the Birds of Jamaica. I 79 



1893 J 



sex. Al Boston the birds were quite common, and were mated before I 

 left that point. Though not powerful singers like Icterus galbula, the 

 birds have a very pretty song and the females seem to be as musical as 

 the males. From many birds dissected I should think they would breed 

 about the last of April or the first part of May. 



161 Quiscalus crassirostris {Swains). Tinkling Grackle. Barba- 

 does Blackbird. Shining-eyes. - This bird was not observed in the 

 vicinity of Kingston or at Stony Hill, but at Port Antonio and Priest- 

 man's River, they were not at all uncommon. They are gregarious, though 

 the parties that I saw rarely consisted of more than six or eight individ- 

 uals Aside from the tinkling, melodious, call note they have a series of 

 notes, that I have frequently heard given, that may fairly be called a song, 

 and a very pretty, though not varied, one. 



162 Sicalis flaveola Jamaica (Sharfe). This is stated by Gosse to 

 have been a common species, but apparently of very local distribution at 

 the eastern part of the island. I was unable in my limited stay to visit 

 the points indicated, and refer the reader for greater detail to Gosse ('Birds 

 of Jamaica,' pp. 245-247). 



163 Ammodramus savannarum (Gmel.). Tichicro. Grass Pink. 

 Savanna-bird.— This was a common species in the grass fields about the 

 Constant Springs Hotel, and just back of that locality. Here they were 

 abundant, but as my series was collected in December, 1890, and just 

 after the close of the breeding season, I have no proper material for a 

 close comparison with the North American subspecies. All the birds I 

 procured were moulting or in a very worn plumage. 



Mr Taylor tells me that he does not know of any other point on the 

 island where the birds occur. There were apparently suitable localities 

 at many points near Port Antonio and Priestman's River, but careful 

 search failed to reveal their presence. 



164 Habia ludoviciana (Linn.). Rose-breasted Grosbeak.— 1 his 

 is included on the authority of Mr. Hill (Gosse, 'Birds of Jamaica,' p. 



2 % 5 Euetheia bicolor (Linn.). This was a rather common species 

 at StonvHill, and had only just finished breeding on my arrival at that 

 point I did not see the birds about Constant Springs nor in the imme- 

 diate vicinity of Kingston. At Priestman's River they were uncommon, 

 not more than a dozen being seen and taken during my stay. 



166 Euetheia olivacea (Gmel.). (Spermophila adoxa Gosse, 'Birds 

 of Jamaica,' p. 253.) Yellow-faced Grassquit.— An abundant species, 

 and of general distribution. It is perhaps most common at the lower alti- 



In the vicinity of Priestman's River birds were observed carrying ma- 

 terial for nest building early in January. On February 3 at this point 

 an individual (No. 10,878) was taken which proved on dissection to be 

 a female. In external appearance it was like the average male bird of the 

 species, having the black of the head and throat intense and the orange 



