II 8 Field, Birds of Port Henderson, Jamaica, W. I. [ April 



account of the uniform climatic conditions, and consequently of 

 the unlimited food supply, there are very few extended migra- 

 tions ; and there are many species of birds abundant in one 

 locality which are of exceedingly rare occurrence a few miles 

 away. 



During the summer of 1891 it was my good fortune, as a 

 member of the Johns Hopkins Marine Laboratory, to spend about 

 four months in Jamaica, nearly three of which were passed at 

 Port Henderson, near the entrance to Kingston Harbor. 



Port Henderson is situated on the coast at the foot of the Salt 

 Pond Hills, a low range commanding the entrance to Kingston 

 Harbor. To the north and northeast extends the Liguanean 

 plain, almost the only extensive level tract of land in the island. 

 About a mile or two distant is the Rio Cobre, along whose banks 

 are extensive marshes and mangrove swamps. Between Port 

 Henderson and this river is a large lagoon or salina, a portion 

 covered with mangroves, and its shallow water swarming with 

 small fish ; a favorite resort for Herons, Rails and kindred spirits. 

 Back of this on the fertile farms the land birds are found in 

 abundance. Port Henderson proper is so situated that it is the 

 driest point in Jamaica — so dry that the tropical luxuriance of 

 vegetation to be found a mile or two inland is represented only 

 by a wonderful growth of cacti of many species. 



The time at which we were located here (May 26 to Aug. 23) 

 was particularly fitted for observations upon the resident birds. 

 I have not attempted to give a complete list of the birds which 

 may be found here, but refer only to such as came under mv 

 observation. It will be noticed that very few migrants had 

 arrived up to the time of my leaving Port Henderson, August 23. 

 After the scientific name I have added the common name of the 

 birds as employed in the negro dialect. 



My thanks are due to His Excellency Governor Blake for a 

 license to take birds ; to R. Hoepkin and Company, who con- 

 tinually manifested great interest in our work and furnished us 

 with very material aid ; and to Mr. Lindell of Congress Park, a 

 man of more than local reputation as a lover of the gun, and the 

 best versed in bird lore of any one in that section, who furnished 

 me much reliable and valuable information ; and particularly to 

 Charles B. Taylor, Esq., to whom I am much indebted. 



