the Birds of Grand Cayman. 23 



clearly defined spots, and white beneath. Anotlier type is 

 of various shades of yellowish-grey and is unspotted, but, 

 having only been noticed in the nest, this may perhaps 

 be the first stage after hatching, and may develop spots 

 later. Their beaks are honi-coloured with dark tips, and 

 their feet and legs are pink. They have a most remarkable 

 resemblance to the pebbles of weathered coral which abound 

 on every West Indian beach. 



Chordeiles virginianus is a very abundant spring and 

 autumn migrant, some staying throughout the summer 

 and breeding along the western shore of the island, while 

 an occasional individual may be found during the winter 

 months. Quite possibly this bird breeds in other parts of 

 Grand Cayman than the west, but it does not seem to do so 

 in the north, and this is very probably due to the abundance 

 there of the large land-crab {Cardisoma guanhunii) , which is 

 at least as deadly an enemy to any bird nesting on or near 

 the ground, as the imported mongoose has been found to be 

 in Jamaica. The place where they undoubtedly do breed 

 is a flat but rugged expanse of coral-rock, nearly bare of 

 vegetation, and about six to ten feet above sea-level, 

 stretching for some miles south from Georgetown, the largest 

 settlement in the Cayman Islands, between the sea and a 

 road along which there are houses and cultivation — conse- 

 quently very few crabs. Walking over this rock, one 

 frequently puts up " nighthawks,'' and on the 30th of May, 

 1911, one of these left a lately hatched young one. No 

 sign could be found of another young one or e^^. 



The other five additions to Grand Cayman's birds do not 

 appear to breed there. They are : — 



Fulica americana. Chordeiles minor. 



Pelecanus fuscus. Cotyle riparia. 



Pandion haliaetus. 



Fulica americana is frequent enough to be known to the 

 islanders as the "Diving Widgeon" (the Cayman " Coot '' is 

 Gallinula galeata), but was only seen twice by the writer — 

 in November and December, 1913 ; and on both occasions as 



