ORNITHOLOGY OF THE ISLAND OF TOBAGO. 
his remarks are therefore not numerous ; he confirms however the 
continental character of its ornithology. Parrots and one species 
of Toucan are mentioned, and the Pupicola is noted. This last 
bird was met with by Sir R. Schomburgk in Guiana, and we fre- 
quently receive skins in collections from Surinam ; and it was no 
great step to Trinidad, if the localities in that island were suitable 
for its habits ; but it is remarkable to find the other nearer islands 
passed over, and a species locally distributed on the continent in- 
habiting Porto Rico, a distant island. 
Of the smaller isles we know almost nothing ; they have not been 
deemed worthy of examination. A scattered notice here and there, 
and that often not to be trusted, exists. There is, however, one 
exception to these remarks, thanks to Sir Robert Schomburgk for 
his recently published History of Barbadoes. This island presents 
some curious points to us. Though exceeding Tobago in extent, 
the entire number of species known to frequent it will not much 
exceed sixty, Sir Robert only enumerating fifty-five, of which forty 
are migratory. “ The absence of woods or forests, and the scarcity 
of umbrageous trees, is doubtless the reason that Barbadoes pos- 
sesses so few of the feathery tribe. The number of indigenous 
species do not amount to fifteen, and there are perhaps forty species 
which are considered birds of passage, or are only seen occasionally 
in the island.” The absence of wood is the easy solution of the 
limited numbers, and also of the great proportion of the species 
belonging to the waders and true water birds. Of the others, we 
have three birds of prey, all indigenous, and all North American. 
We have Trochilus cristatus (not that we know of, found in the 
other islands), Psittacus passerinus , Quiscalus crassirostris, and two 
Spermophilce, all indigenous ; with the Turdus jamaicencis, Ilirundo 
dominicencis and Tachorms phamicobia , Gosse, migratory, as the 
representatives of a southern fauna. All the others are generally 
spread around the islands, and may be considered as more northern 
or rather temperate types. 
With regard to the more recent changes in the ornithology 
the various islands, we possess only partial and limited proofs. 
No doubt, population and its attendant circumstances would thin 
out or even extirpate some species, while the cultivation of maize 
or other grains might attract others ; but above all other causes, 
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