320 Sir W. Jardine on the Habits q/ Crotophaga. 



culiar form of its beak, and its curious manners, is so well 

 qualified to attract the attention of the most careless observer, 

 it may be naturally supposed that it did not escape me. 



" You observe very justly, that at this time the specific di- 

 stinctions of this genus are not well understood ; and that only 

 with the possession of an extensive series from various local- 

 ities, the value of these distinctions will be ascertained. The 

 bird which you consider allied or identical with Mr. Swain- 

 son^s C. rugirostra appears to be the most common and the 

 most widely distributed species. I have now a specimen be- 

 fore me which so accurately agrees with your description of 

 that from Tobago, that there is not the slightest deviation in 

 the dimensions or markings. My specimen was shot in the 

 neighbourhood of Fort San Joaquim on Rio Branco, in lat. 

 30 J/ ]y^ 'pjie same species inhabits also the Virgin Islands, 

 where they are known under the name of ^ Black Witches' 



" The account of your correspondent, Mr. Kirk, of their ha- 

 bits is graphic, and does not materially deviate from my own 

 observations ; but he has forgotten to note that they prove 

 very destructive to pigeon-peas {Cytisus cajan), and their so- 

 journ in the negroes' provision-field is by no means cherished 

 by them. Mr. Kirk alludes to the circumstance of having 

 found Guava seeds {Psidium pyriferum) in their stomach ; and 

 I have to add, that they are partial to this fruit. I recollect 

 that on riding one day from Cruxbay towards the eastern part 

 of the island of St. John's, I saw in the vicinity of the estate 

 Biverhoutberg a flock of Crotophagce on the carcase of a sheep, 

 on which they were feeding. I was astonished at the circum- 

 stance, but not so my companion, who told me he had noted 

 their carnivorous habits before. They resemble in that re- 

 gard the Corvidce ; indeed there are several points from which 

 we might trace an affinity to that group. You have noted, 

 p. 170, the resemblance of the tongue of the Crotophaga to 

 that of the Corvince, and the intestinal canal which approaches 

 to that of some of the Fissirostres. But there are other resem- 

 blances in their characters and habits which are perhaps more 

 striking. They live in numerous bands, are omnivorous, build 

 their nest in the manner of the Corvidce, are clamorous, bold, ad- 

 vance on the ground by hopping, and like our raven and mag- 



