BIRDS OF THE BAHAMA ISLANDS. 
53 
ground. The old birds were very tame, the male perching himself 
upon the end of a twig, not two feet from my hand, and singing 
away as merrily as possible, seemingly with the intention of attract- 
ing me away from the nest. I never had heard before a bird of this 
species utter such varied and pleasing song. The poor little female 
fluttered anxiously around me, and upon my removing the nest, she 
hopped down into the crotch where it had rested, and after peering 
about for a few seconds, seemed in such distress that I was almost 
tempted to replace the nest and leave her in the happy possession 
of her treasures. 
It is a curious fact that, during the month of January, out of a 
series of some fifty specimens which were shot and examined, only 
a single male bird was taken ; but later in the season, the males and 
females seemed to be about equally distributed. 
Dr. Bryant found this species very abundant at Inagua. 
Fig. Aud. Bds. N. A., Vol. I. pi. 70. 
