iSgi.] CiiERRlE, List of Birds of San yos(', Costa Rica. 27 1 



i 



A PRELIMINARY LIST OF THE BIRDS OF SAN 

 JOSE, COSTA RICA. 



BY GEORGE K. CHERRIE. 



The following list will contain the birds found in the immed- 

 iate vicinity of the city, and principally only such as I have taken 

 myself and are represented in my own collection or that of the 

 Museo Nacional. 



Doubtless many more birds will yet be recorded, especially 

 among the migrants, and even among the resident birds, because at 

 a very little greater distance from the city many varieties are found 

 that are not given in the list. At the most, I think the area cov- 

 ered does not exceed a radius of two miles. 



The city of San Jose is located at 9 degrees 56 minutes North 

 Latitude, and 84 degrees 8 minutes West Longitude, at an alti- 

 tude of about 1 135 metres. On the north the city is bounded by 

 the River Torres, and on the south by the River Maria Alo-uilar. 



The seasons are well marked, the rainy season commencino- in 

 the latter part of May and lasting until the latter part of Novem])ci-. 



About the city the coinitry is rather level, and there is compara- 

 tively little timber or brush wood ; this being found alono- the 

 sides of the river. There is considerable open pasture-land, and 

 the remainder of the ground is occupied almost exclusively by 

 coffee plantations. Many of these coffee plantations have jocote, 

 aguacote, anona, and other fruit trees planted here and there. 

 These fruit trees are very productive of bird life, the absence or 

 presence, the appearance and disappearance of many species 

 depending on the supply of fruit. 



Bird life generally is far more abundant during the rainy season 

 than during the dry season. At the end of the latter season vege- 

 tation is parched and dry. There are no fruits and insect life is not 

 abundant. The breeding season commences with the awakenino- 

 into life of the insect world and the bursting forth into fruit and 

 flower at the beginning of the rainy season. This is speakino- 

 generally, as I believe some few species may be found nestin(>- 

 every month in the year. 



Perhaps the greatest number of varieties are found moultino- 

 during July, August and September, but, as in the case of nest- 



