18 
Fredholm (18) states that the common Trinidad garden toad 
gorges itself upon the mole cricket. This is a South American species 
and maintains itself only where the mongoose is kept down. There 
are at least two species of Texas toads, nocturnal in habit and gen- 
erally insectivorous, which might upon introduction reduce the 
numbers of the Porto Rican mole cricket (48) were it not for the 
mongoose which now overruns the island. 
Birds. — The most efficient enemies of the changa are to be found 
among the native birds. The comparative value of the various 
species has been determined by Wetmore (53), from whose publica- 
tion the following notes are taken: 
The blackbird (Holoquiscalus brachypterus), popularly considered one of 
the greatest enemies of " la changa," in reality destroys but few. * * * 
Other species, however, make up for the blackbird's shortcomings, and among 
them the despised martinete (Butorides virescens cubanus), ridiculed for its 
ungainliness, ranks foremost. Standing watchfully, with head drawn in, 
among the short growth of the young cane fields, or walking with lengthened 
stride along the border of lowland pools, it spies and avidly swallows both 
adults and young of the mole cricket. The species at present known to aid in 
suppressing this pest number 21, and following is a list of them arranged 
somewhat in order of importance (figures following the name indicate the 
percentage formed by the mole cricket in the total bulk of the food) : 
Bird enemies of mole cricket. 
[From Wetmore.] 
Per cent. 
Martinete (Butorides virescens cu- 
banus) 54. 33 
Falc6n (Falco sparverius loquacula)- 28.69 
Playero (Oxyechus vociferus ru- 
bidus) 14.42 
Putilla (Actitis macularia) 10. 78 
Garza (Florida cozrulea ccerulescens) _ 7. 23 
Judio (Crotcphaga ani) 5.69 
Ruisefior (Mimus polyglottos Or- 
pheus) 3. 62 
Clerigo (Tolmarchus taylori) 3.04 
Pitirre (Tyrannus dominicensis do- 
minicensis) 2. 36 
Jul (Myiarchus antillarum) 1.27 
Garz6n bianco (Herodias egretta)-- 1.00 
Julian chivi (Vireo latimeri) .90 
Per cent. 
Zorzal (Mimocichla ardosiacea porto- 
ricensis) -•- 0. 86 
Mucaro (Gymnasio nudipes nudipes) _ 
Canario de manglar (Dendroica pe- 
techia bartholemica) 
Gorri6n (Coturniculus savannarum 
intricatus) 
Mozambique (Holoquiscalus brachyp- 
terus) 
Calandra (Icterus portoricensis) 
Pajaro bobo (Coccyzus minor nesi- 
otes) 
Zorzal negro (Margarops fuscatus 
fuscatus) 
Becacina (Gallinago delicata), one 
bird only examined 
60 
2r, 
25 
21 
21 
.21 
.16 
The Cuban green heron [martinete] is one of the commonest birds in Porto 
Rico and is distributed all through the coastal plain. * * * Clumps of 
bamboos along streams were favorite perches. To these growths numbers 
retired to escape the burning heat of the midday sun, and in many localities 
they were used as nesting sites. Most of these birds, however, still nest in 
the mangroves and swampy growths bordering lagoons and lowland streams. 
* * * Three stomachs [of this species] taken in January and two in August 
contain little else [besides bodies of the changa], while the smallest propor- 
tion — 13 per cent — occurs in the month of June. 
