94- TRINIDAD. 



only, it appears, at the Bocas' Islets and at Cedros — it is of a 

 lighter colour. The partridge is, in size, intermediate between 

 the dove and the ortolan. The habits of the blue ortolan are 

 but imperfectly known, from its being so excessively shy ; the 

 red ortolan, on the contrary, is familiar and gregarious, and 

 troops of forty and sixty alight at times in the rice-fields, or 

 among the maize-stubble ; the smallest species are always seen 

 in pairs, the male and female seeking their food side by side. 

 These doves, particularly the red ortolan, are easily tamed. 



A species of Tinamoo (Tinamus sovi) is also very common 

 here. It is about the size of a partridge, and is met with almost 

 everywhere in the colony ; it seems to prefer copses or under- 

 brush, on the borders of the high woods. The Tinamoo is 

 known here by the appellation of caille, or quail. It is a very 

 difficult shot, unless seen feeding on the ground, as it starts up 

 in flight quite suddenly, and alights at a very short distance; 

 it also runs very rapidly through the underwood. The Tinamoo 

 lays two eggs, of a most beautiful violet colour, and sits with 

 such fondness on them as, in that state, to be easily caught 

 with the hand. This bird has a peculiar tremulous and prolonged 

 whistle, the note of the male being different from that of the 

 female ; they are heard early in the morning, at sunset, and also 

 at mid-day, and midnight; and so regularly are their notes 

 timed in general, that they serve as the peasant's chronometer. 

 As I have already stated, all the above gallinaceans are delicate 

 and excellent game ; and the ramiers and doves are at times 

 offered for sale in our markets. 



Grallatorice. — Many species of the Grallatoriae order are 

 either permanent inhabitants of the island, or visit it at regular 

 intervals. The former consist of herons, known here by the 

 name of Crabiers, or Crab-eaters, and Egrets ; several of them 

 are regarded as very good eating, particularly the mountain crab- 

 eater (Ardea liniata). The egrets assemble in large flocks in 

 the marshes of the island, and, at certain periods of the year, 

 numbers of them can be seen on the basses, or mud-banks of the 

 Caroni and Couva rivers. The mountain crab-eater and the 

 soldado {Tantalus loculator) are scarce. The golden (Charadrius 

 Wilsonii) and ring plovers (Charadrius Virginiacus) visit the 

 island during September, together with hosts of chevaliers, sand- 

 pipers, curlews, and even snipes (Scolopax Gallinago), as also 



