UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



jjfc BULLETIN No. 326 



Contribution from the Bureau of Biological Survey 

 HENRY W. HENSHAW, Chief 



Washington, D. C. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER 



March 24, 1916 



BIRDS OF PORTO RICO. 



By Alex Wetmore, Assistant Biologist. 



Introduction 



Annotated list of species. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

 1 



17 



Bibliography-. 

 Index 



Page. 

 130 

 133 



INTRODUCTION. 



The following report on the birds of Porto Rico is the result of 

 investigations made by the Biological Survey in cooperation with 

 the government of the island. Because of the damage to crops by 

 insect pests and the resulting pecuniary loss, the Board of Commis- 

 sioners of Agriculture of the island in 1911 requested the aid of the 

 United States Department of Agriculture in an effort to determine 

 the relations of the island birds to the insect fauna. Little was actu- 

 ally known concerning the economic status of many species of birds, 

 and that little was founded chiefly upon field observation, a method 

 not without value, but one leading frequently to error. 



In Porto Rico the population is engaged primarily in agricultural 

 pursuits, the production of sugar, tobacco, coffee, and fruits greatly 

 overshadowing other lines of industrial activity. Under the methods 

 of intensive agriculture now employed many insects, including the 

 mole cricket, the cane root-boring weevil, the May beetle, and others, 

 are very destructive. Various methods have been employed in at- 

 tempting to check the ravages of these insects, and planters are be- 

 ginning to recognize that the island birds are of enormous importance 

 in combating them. In the rural districts, however, the country 

 people, ignorant of the services birds render, ruthlessly plunder nests 

 and kill small birds wantonly or for food. In addition, several 

 species of great economic importance are classed as game birds and 

 are killed without regard to season or their value as insect destroyers. 



9767°— Bull. 326—16- — 1 



