A TJoUday in the West Indies. 
105 
stragKlinK place, and is now heing rapidly rebuilt jn-incipally of 
ferro-concrete, wiiich is supposed to withstand earthquake shocks. 
One of the peculiarites of Kinj^ston is the number of goats and 
ducks kept by the peasants ; these wander about the streets and 
pick up a living the Ijest way possible, feeding on orange, and 
banana peel, and on one occasion, I saw one devouring a sheet of 
newspayer (probably it was interested in the elections.) 
The first birtls to attract attention are the Tui'key Buzzards 
or Turkey Vultures {Cat/wrles aura) whicli are known locally as 
John Crows ; they are repulsive looking creatures, and roam the 
streets like l)arn-door fowls : their total length is two-and-a-half 
feet, six feet front tip to tip of wings; beak two-and-a-half inches 
long ; the upper mandilnle liooked at the point, and the nostril a 
wide slit pieced through ; eyes dark and bright, the head and neck 
is covered with reddish wrinkled skin, l)eset with short dark hairs, 
the fore part bare to the breast bone ; lower part of body sooty 
brown ; back black ; tail about a foot long and rounded; the whole 
plumage is glossed with green-bronze and purple reflections. Mr. 
John Crow is not at all bashful, I have seen half a dozen walking 
about the streets at St. Andrews quite unconcerned, and have ap- 
proached within six feet of them. I got a very fine snapshot of one 
on a wooden shanty, sunning himself, with wings outstretched, 
which I should like to have had reproduced here, but regret to say 
that my case of skins, insects, photos, notes, nests, etc., was miss- 
ing when I landed at Southampton ; I am of the opinion it was 
put off at Barl)adoes in error, and I hope to recover it shortly, but 
if this case is lost these notes will suffer. I can, of course, remember 
many incidents, but the names of the trees and plants, also of 
different fruits and seeds, I found the birds feeding upon, cannot 
be given : this is to be regretted, as I had hoi)e(l to give some in- 
formation which might prove of practical use to our members. 
The Turkey Vulture is strictly protected, as in fact are all 
the birds, except the Pigeons, and as the penalty is a fine of £5 for 
every bird killed, it is a risky thing to go bird shooting or catching. 
Constant Spring Hotel is situated about oh miles inland from 
Kingston, and one morning a fowl was being killed in the kitchen 
of this Hotel, and I witnessed two Vultures swoop round the back 
of the Hotel and approach the lattice work which surrounds the 
kitchen yard ; they must have been attracted by the cries of the 
fowl. Much contention has arisen between naturalists, with re- 
