18 Mr. T. M. Savage English on 



writer — while they were in their native land. Two of these 

 (males of 1911 and 1912) are at present (September 1915) 

 at the Zoological Gardens, London, and since their departure 

 from Cayman, whether it be owing to change of climate or 

 of food, or to other circumstances unknown, they have 

 changed in colour from a bright, almost golden green to 

 quite a dark and far duller hue, while their foreheads have 

 lost almost all their yellow feathers and most of their red 

 ones and have become more or less white. This dull green 

 plumage is a reversion to their immature condition, but at 

 that time they have not developed much colouring other 

 than green on their foreheads. 



Icterus bairdi, one of the Troupials, is by no means un- 

 common in the north of Grand Cayman and is usually seen 

 in small parties of five or six birds, hunting for food in the 

 crowns of Cocoanut and Thrinax palm trees. These parties 

 are presumably families, for, though three years was not long 

 enough to enable the writer to find a nest, there can be bat 

 little doubt as to this bird's breeding somewhere on the 

 island, and as a rule various hues, ranging from bright golden 

 yellow (? Icterus bairdi) to dull olive (? Icterus leucopteryx), are 

 represented in any one of them. It was in this same island 

 of Grand Cayman that a married couple, having described 

 themselves as ''coloured" at the 1911 census, put down their 

 offspring as " white " and '' black,'' presumably according 

 as they were fairer or darker than themselves. 



The four resident birds which are not on Mr. Lowe's list 



Catotrophorus semipalmatus. Dendrocycna arborea. 



Nomonyx dominicus. Strix Jlamniea. 



Himantopus mexicanus may possibly be resident, while 

 Sterna antillarum and Chordeiles virginianus are summer 

 visitors breeding in the island. 



Catotrophorus semipalmatus is a fairly common resident in 

 the north of Grand Cayman and breeds there. The islanders 

 call it ''Laughing Jackass," and the reason for the name is 

 apparent during the l)reeding-season, when the noise it makes 



