120 BULLETIN 326, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



justified by the services of the birds in destroying harmful pests which would 

 do much more injury if unchecked. In general the blackbird is a beneficial 

 bird and the protection accorded it is well placed. 



GLOSSY COWBIRD. Molothrus atronitens Cabanis. 

 Tordo. 



According to Newton (1S60. p. 30S). a glossy cowbird (given as If. sericeus) 

 was taken on Vieques Island by Mr. Eiise. It can be regarded only as an acci- 

 dental visitant. 



PORTO RICAN TAXAGER. Xesospingus specuUferus Lawrence. (Plate X.) 



Llorex, Verdoso., Yerdedox de Especulo. 



The verdoso was found on the eastern and northern slopes of El Yunque, 

 ranging from the thickets and coffee plantations at an altitude of TOO feet to 

 the dense, dimly lighted forests at the summit of the mountain; and was also 

 common about Maricao, this being the first record for the western end of the 

 island. Until the present time but little has been known of this handsome bird. 

 Although the type is marked as taken by Gundlach, he says (1S7S, p. 190) that 

 it must have been given him by Blanco in 1868, as he had no recollection of it. 

 Dr. C. W. Richmond collected eight specimens on El Yunque in 1900, but the 

 bird was apparently unknown to other collectors. In the present investigations 

 a fine series of skins was taken and data on habits gathered. 



Though in these regions these tanagers were fairly common, they were not 

 easy to secure. In passing along the trails one or two would be heard calling 

 at a distance, or one would appear suddenly in the bushes near by, scolding 

 vigorously, but when silent they were very hard to find. The ordinary call note 

 is a sharp cliewp chewp, repeated vigorously, while the bird is concealed in a 

 growth of vines or in dense brush. Another note heard less often is a robin- 

 like tsweep tsiceep. The few natives acquainted with them know them as " the 

 crying birds," from their loud notes, but many living near their haunts knew 

 nothing of them. In March, on El Yunque, they were spread out during the 

 daytime through the brush, many being breeding birds, though occasionally 

 flocks of a dozen or so would appear. At night, however, they gathered in 

 bands to roost. Above the Hacienda Catalina they used three or four royal 

 palms growing near the summit of a ridge. There would be no sign of them 

 until nearly dark, and then suddenly the thickets and patches of gonduros 

 (Cajanus cajan) would be alive with the birds coming up the slopes, calling and 

 scolding. From here they flew into the palms, and after much chattering and 

 fighting were settled for the night. Near Maricao, in June, they were breeding, 

 and no flocks were seen. Here they frequented coffee plantations almost exclu- 

 sively, working actively through the trees above the coffee, fluttering through 

 the twigs, and examining leaves and under sides of limbs, occasionally breaking 

 out with their loud, scolding notes. Several times they were heard singing a 

 sweet warbling song, with many running trills. The flight is strong and undu- 

 lating, but the birds seldom fly long distances, preferring to hide in the brush. 

 No nests were seen, though the birds were breeding. This tanager will be found 

 perhaps in other scattered localities along the central mountain range of the 

 island. A bird seen near the summit of Mount Pelado above Cayey in January 

 may have been this species. 



Food. — In 37 stomachs collected in March on El Yunque and in May and 

 June near Maricao animal food constitutes 59.S7 per cent and vegetable 40.13 

 per cent. In considering the animal matter 8.4 per cent of the total is composed 

 of Orthoptera. One day on El Yunque one of these tanagers picked up a large 



