230 CRUISE OF THE BARRERA 



the younger members of the family while the men 

 are at work in the fields, plowing or otherwise 

 tending their crops. Stolid oxen, with heads 

 bowed low under the heavy yoke, strain at the 

 primitive plow while their drivers shout orders 

 to them. Oxen not in use, graze in fields fenced 

 off for them, and upon the back of each sits perched 

 a black bird, industriously hunting for ticks. When 

 approached these birds fly in groups to the nearest 

 fence uttering in constant repetition their peculiar 

 cry of ''an -nee, an-nee." It is known as the 

 "ani" {Crotophaga ani) and is found everywhere 

 throughout the island wherever there are cattle, 

 even to the outskirts of the larger cities. The 

 bird is black with a metallic sheen, about the size 

 of a small crow, and carries a peculiar crest upon 

 the upper mandible. They live upon the ticks or 

 other parasitic insects on cattle, a decidedly un- 

 pleasant diet to contemplate. This is by far the 

 most conspicuous bird in Cuba; the northern 

 visitor is astonished by the unusual habit of 

 perching upon the oxen who seem wholly indiffer- 

 ent to their presence upon their backs. Other 

 birds hop about in front of the grazing cattle to 

 catch the insects disturbed by the big beasts 



