34 On the Birds of Grand Cayman. 



Coereba sharpii is perhaps the most abundant of Grand 

 Cayman birds, and seems to live and nest iu every part of 

 the island, except among the mangrove woods. Some notes 

 on this bird, which the writer sent to Mr. P. R. Lowe, 

 appeared in his " Observations on the genus Coereha " 

 (' Ibis/ July 1912), and, in the light of further observation, 

 need a little correction. As regards the eggs, the " Chiff- 

 chaff" type does not seem to be a very common one. The 

 more usual range of colour is very much the same as that 

 found in the eggs of the Robin ; but they vary exceedingly 

 within these limits, and it is most unusual to find any two 

 nests with exactly similar eggs. 



As to the bird''s nesting-season, it seems almost impossible 

 to say definitely how many broods there are in the year. 

 The same nest never seems to be used (except for roosting 

 in) more than once, and nests containing freshly laid eggs 

 can be found in January, February, March, April, June, 

 July, September, and October. This would seem to point 

 to at least three broods, and to four if the nests from 

 January to April represent two broods in quick succession. 



Ctereba sharpii can build its nest and bring off its brood 

 in twenty-eight days (e.g. 9th July to 6th August, 1913) ; 

 as its incubation period is ten days or less, this would be 

 quite possible. 



It builds a number of nests merely to roost in, and 

 seems quite ready at times to roost in any nest it may 

 find empty. On the evening of the 6th of January, 1913, 

 one had to be turned out of the nest of Melopyrrha taylori, 

 referred to above, by its irate owner who, after the b.ittle, 

 immediately made the hen go in to " hold the fort." 



This bird seems to have a curious liking for poisonous 

 trees and bushes to nest in. " Lady's Hair " [Malpighia), 

 which has on the underside of its leaves a profusion of 

 easily detachable bright golden hairs, beautiful indeed to 

 look at but maddening to touch, is a great favourite ; and 

 on the 20th of January, 1914, a nest was found in a 

 Manchineel {Hippomane). How the birds managed to 

 escape destruction by the poisonous juice which pours out 



