A Holiday in the West Indies. 
2G1 
black on the throat and sides of body; middle of aliilonioii and 
ventral region pale sulphur-yellow; bill black; legs and feet 
dark brownish-black— v/>z7/o<i only differs in having the middle 
of abdomen a deeper shade of yellow. — Ed. J 
I caught amongst others two Manakins (Chiroif/arharris 
manacus) which are locally called the Washerwoman; one died 
before I sailed, and the other on the way home; they iK.'long 
to the family Pipridce, and live on fruit and insects. 
The Black and White Manakin is a very handsome 
species, the plumage being silken and glossy. Forehead, top 
of head, nape, and tail lilack; the wings and tail being 
more or less variegated with bronzy-brown; rump dark grey; 
under surface and neck silky-white; sides of body and ventral 
region greyish-white; bill black; legs and feet orange. 
M. B. and C. W. Beebe in "Our Search for a Wilder- 
ness " make the following note concerning the White-breasted 
Manakin : — 
" the White -breasted (Manacus manacus vurnacns Linn.), is lihick 
" and white, and the four outer feathers of the wing are very 
" narrow and curved. These are the strings upon which he play.s 
" an ^olian song of love, for every time he takes to flight a loud 
" humming sound is produced. The females are dull olive in colour 
. Sometimes three suitors would buzz and hum together 
'" about one of these sombre little ladles in the gloom of tlie gorge." 
From the " Cambridge Natural History " (Birds') I quote 
the following: — 
" Cldromachaeris makes a sound like a whip cracking, followed 
by a continuous rattle— possibly caused by the wings; but that 
" noise was peculiar to the genus, the usual cry beuig loud and 
" whistling. Fruits of all sorts, especially berries and seeds, and 
" occasionally insects, form the food. Chiromacheris manacus and 
" Chiroxiphia caudaia hang loose, shallow nests of grass— tlie 
"latter with slight additions of wool, hair, tendrils and leaves — 
"from the forks of low shrubs; the two eggs being reddish—or 
" yellowish-white, tlnckly blotched with red or brown." 
Newton in his dictionary of birds says: — 
" Manakin from the Dutch word Manaken aiiiilicd to certain 
" small birds, a name apparently introduced into English by 
" Edwards (Nat. His. Birds, p. 21) in or about 174.3, since which 
" time it has been accepted generally, and is now used for those 
" which from the family l^ipridea of modern ornithologists, Ih.o 
" Manakins are peculiar to Neotropical Regions, and are naid 
"to ha\c ma;iy habits of the Pipridea (Titmouse), living, says 
" Swainson, in deep forests associating in small bands, and keeping 
