SAVANNA BLACKBIRD. 285 



one in Jamaica is aware that the Savanna Blackbird, 

 as well as the Grakle, feeds on the parasites of cattle. 

 I made particular inquiries about this soon after my 

 arrival, and was assured of the fact by persons who 

 had witnessed it multitudes of times, and who could 

 not " mistake" the Blackbird for the Grakle, their 

 whole form, voice, and motions, being different. 



Afterwards, however, I had repeated opportunities 

 of personal observation on this point. One day I 

 noticed a cow lying down, around which were four 

 or five Blackbirds, hopping on and off her back, 

 and eagerly picking the insects from her body ; which 

 service seemed in no wise unpleasing to her. I have 

 also seen them leaping up on cows when grazing ; and, 

 on another occasion, jumping to and from a horse's 

 back ; and my lad Sam has repeatedly observed them 

 clinging to a cow's tail, and picking insects from it, 

 as far down as the terminal tuft. Had cattle been 

 pastured near where I resided, I should doubtless 

 have had many more ocular demonstrations : but the 

 evidence is amply sufficient. In some of these cases, 

 the occurrence was close to me, so that there was 

 no possibility of deception, especially as, being 

 aware of the conflicting statement, I looked with the 

 more interest to satisfy myself. 



But stationary insects are not the only prey of 

 the Crotophaga; in December, I have seen little 

 groups of them engaged in the evenings, leaping 

 up from the pasture about a yard into the air, 

 doubtless after flying insects, which they seemed 

 to catch. One day in March as I sat at dinner, 

 my attention was arrested by what seemed to be 



