222 PASSERES. STURNID^. 



smooth, and I think grass-eating kinds, some of 

 which still contained portions of comminuted her- 

 bage. The stomach of the other contained about 

 as many caterpillars, besides other larvae, some spi- 

 ders, a moth, and other insects. 



Regularly at nightfall, during the summer, I 

 used to see many parties of Tinklings fly over 

 Bluefields, with the usual vociferation, and wend 

 their way to a spreading cotton-tree near the sea- 

 side, where, I was informed, they slept; whence, 

 as regularly one might see them, in the early morn- 

 ing, emerging and dispersing to their places of 

 diurnal occupation. One evening I went down to 

 watch their arrival and proceedings. About half- 

 an-hour before sunset, they began to arrive in 

 straggling parties, but did not proceed at once to 

 their roosting place, but congregated in a clump 

 of smaller trees, about one hundred and fifty yards 

 from it, on the banks of Bluefields River, where 

 they clamoured in all sorts of metallic tones with 

 unceasing vociferation. Some parties from a dis- 

 tance, coming straight to the roost, suddenly alter- 

 ed their course, attracted by the calls of these in- 

 termediate settlers, and joined them, and some 

 even returned to them, which had already passed 

 the spot. A few, however, went on to their des- 

 tination, and when once some were there, their 

 numbers soon increased, for the calling now pro- 

 ceeded from both quarters. As the parties arrived, 

 one or two single birds kept flying from one station 

 to the other, backwards and forwards. At length the 

 whole assembled number on the intermediate station 



