Moore.] 246 [May 16, 



My opinion is that this bird is, to but small extent, insectivorous; 

 it undoubtedly eats insects sometimes, as does Dend. tigrina, whose 

 tongue is of similar structure. It is a bold and unsuspecting fellow ; 

 those I am feeding sit within three feet of my hand as I pour their 

 food into their spoon — they know me as their protector. 



Certhiola bahamensis, incubating on three eggs, March 16. 

 This species probably nests much earlier, as I saw them copulating 

 Jan. 12, and again later in same month. I think both parents incu- 

 bate; the male has no song. 



Stryx ? marked in the above " S. furcata ? " I now sus- 

 pect is S.pratincola. The female laid her first egg Feb. 17, the only 

 other one, probably, on the 18th. The two eggs were seen yesterday 

 at 5 p. m. To-day is the twenty-sixth since incubation began. I 

 failed to see them to-day, as the female sat so close, therefore I think 

 the young may be getting out. 1 Only the female sits during the day, 

 as I found to be the fact with Scops asio ; whether the male sits dur- 

 ing part of the night, I cannot determine. 



The nest is in a niche in a perpendicular (vertical) wall of rock, 

 thirty feet from the base, and fifteen feet below the top, and is unap- 

 proachable. I killed one of a pair of this species, a female, as she 

 entered the niche; the male, her mate, on the following night entered 

 it, uttered his peculiar call note, an owl soon approached, he gave 

 chase, they flew about for some time, and on the next night they 

 were, to all appearance, mated. Had the male been killed instead of 

 the female, this sudden marriage, and particularly her continuance at 

 the old nesting place, would seem less surprising. 



The eggs, as seen by a good spy-glass at about forty feet, appear 

 pure white, and a very plump, or shortish oval, or scarcely round- 

 globular. The eyrie was never occupied by day till the first egg wa3 

 laid, since the laying of which the female has not left during the day. 

 The first egg was deposited between the hours of 11 and 1.30, near 

 the middle of the day. 



This species has two very distinct vocal utterances; one a " call 

 note," a sort of low rapid chattering or clacking, uttered, so far as I 

 have observed, when perched. The other a monosyllabic note, which 

 I would spell " creech," uttered in a harsh, half scream, while on 

 the wing, the intervals being very long. 



Of their food, and manner of feeding, I cannot speak. 



1 March 19. The two eggs were as yet unhatched, and must of course be addled ; 

 therefore I cannot state the period of incubation of this specie?, which I had 

 hoped to do. The female still occupies the eyrie. 



