ORNITHOLOGY OF THE ISLAND OF TOBAGO. 
every fresh ascent affords, with a new air and scenery, a change in 
the plants, birds, fishes, and insects. The traveller is not more 
delighted with the refreshing coolness of the air and delightful 
prospects, than with the Parrots (among others the P. leucoce - 
phalu s, totally distinct from the P. collarius of J amaica),* Trongon 
( temnurus ), Itain-Birds (a modification of Saur other ce, Motmots 
(P. momota ?) | and several species of the true Icterinidce. The 
genera Phyllostoma, Noctilio , and Vampyrus , of the family ol 
Vesper tiliones, equally characterize this interesting region. I have 
been informed, from good authority, that districts still higher, 
present Petrels, Snakes, and Lizards, which have never been de- 
scribed or found their way to the cabinets of Europe. 
“ In this island the genera Todus (P. viridis and multicolor), and 
Ptilogonys (P. armittatus ), first make their appearance. The pre- 
sence of so many South American or tropical groups, demonstrates 
that a new ornithological region commences; and in my opinion, is 
evidence of no unimportant nature to lead to the belief, that Cuba 
was never united to any land further north than the twenty-fifth 
degree of latitude.” 
The most detailed .account however of the island of Cuba, is that 
by M. Ramon do la Sagra, the ornithological department of which 
was intrusted to M. D’Orbigny, and has been published in an 8vo. 
volume of 336 pages, accompanied by a folio atlas of plates, in 
which we have to regret the refiguring of so many well-known 
species, particularly those of North America, thereby adding 
grievously to its expense. The entire number of species here 
described is 129 ; and in conclusion, or as a resume, D’Orbigny 
remarks : “Si, aprts avoir passt successivement en revue tous les 
oiseaux de Cuba, nous voulons resumer ce que nous venons de 
dire k leur egard, nous trouverons que le cent vingtneuf, especes 
que nous possedons sont ainsi distributes sur a sol Americain. 
1st. Quatorze, ou an neuvieme des especes, se trouvent cn merne 
temps, dans l’Amerique meridionale habitant Cuba comme une de- 
pendence de la zone equatoriale, leur patrie exclusive. 
2d. Quarante-neuf especes, ou presque un tiers de la totalite, 
viennent de l’Amerique septentrionale A Cuba, lors des migrations 
hivernalcs, etant propres seulement k Hemisphere boreal. 
* Gossc considers P. collarius the young of P. Icucoccphalus, but with a ? 
t Mumotus is not enumerated by Ramon de la .Sagra. 
