TYRANNID.E — THE FLYCATCHERS. 321 



iiii)initiiin-cal)liage tree, from wliicli plnce, in the breeding-season, it darted 

 (low 11 to attack almost any aiiiiiuvl tliat passed near. Its favorite object of 

 attack was the Green Heron {Bitforidc.i viirsccns), at whicli it would make 

 several well-directed swoops, never leaving it until it had driven it into some 

 shelter, wlieii, nuich pleased with it-s prowess, it would return to its lookout 

 station and celebrate its victory with cries of triunii)li. On one occasion 

 Mr. Newton observed a Gray Kingbird pursue a (!reen Heron out to sea 

 fm- a quarter of a mile and I)aek. It is descrilied as a very clainoroiis bird, 

 even when there is api)areiitly no need ; taking alarm from tlie domestic 

 poultry, its oft-repeated notes were heard every morning before the dawn. 

 This noise it continued pertinaciously till sundown. Its food consists of 

 insects, which are caught with great dexterity on the wing. It also feeds 

 very largely on the Ijlaek berries of a myrtle-leaved parasite that grows 

 abundantly on the orange-trees. The nest is often placed under the fronds 

 or among the spathes of a cocoamit or mountain-cabbage tree, and sometimes 

 in any ordinary situation. It is described as flat in construction and large 

 for the size of the bird, l)cing nearly a foot in diameter, composed of a plat- 

 form of twigs, in the midst of whicli is hollowed a cup lined with fine roots. 

 In St. Croi.x; the eggs rarely exceeded three in number, and are sjOTken of as 

 exceedingly beautiful wlien fresh, of a delicate creamy white, marked at the 

 larger end with blotches and spots of ))ink or orange-brown, often di.sposed 

 in a zone. He found their eggs from May till August. 



Mr. liicliard Hill, of Spanishtown, Jamaica, in some interesting notes fur- 

 nished to Mr. Gosse, states that ah)iig the seaside savannas of that island 

 migrant Hocks of these birds swarm early in September. Numbers then 

 congregate on the trees around the cattle ponds and about the open mead- 

 ows, pursuing the swarms of insects which fill the air at sundown. These 

 throngs are immediately joined by resident birds of this species, which 

 gather about the same places, and do not return to their usual abodes until 

 the breeding-season is at hand. 



The Jamaica bird is not exclusively an insect-feeder, but eats very freely 

 of the sweet wild berries, especially those of the jiimeiito. These ripen in 

 September, and in groves of these this bird may always be found in 

 abundance. By the end of Septemlier most of the migrant birds have lett 

 the i.sland. 



This is among the earliest to breed of the birds of Jamaica. As early as 

 January the mated pair is said to be in possession of some lofty tree, 

 sounding at day-dawn a ceaseless shriek, which is composed of a repetition 

 of three or four notes, sounding like pe-rhee-7'i/, according to Mr. Hill, and 

 from which they derive their local name. In these localities they remain 

 until autunni, when they quit these haunts and again congregate about the 

 lowhmd ponds. In feeding, just before sunset, they usually sit, eight or ten 

 in a row, on some exjiosed twig, darting from it in pursuit of their prey, and 

 returning to it to devour whatever they have caught. They arc rapid iu 



vol.. II. 41 



