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Swifts (large and small) and Bats (Molossus ob- 
scurus) appear and fly s.bout in extraordinary n\imbers over 
the city at evening. 
I quite forgot one bird which I saw here for 
the first time — A Martin (Progne chalybea) of which I 
noticed a large flock flying high, one afternoon, over 
the Savanna. They looked and acted much like our species 
but appeared to be light-colored beneath.. 
Habits of 
Just after a shoTfer one evening hundreds of Tick 
Crotophap!:a 
Birds scattered about over the Savanna were engaged in 
ani 
catching flying insects. Their manner of accomplishing 
this was most peculiar and interesting. They sprang from 
the ground directly upward to the height of from one to 
three feet and then sailed dovm to the ground again on a 
gentle decline. Both wings and tail were wide-spread 
while the bird was in the air but I could not see that 
the wings were flapped even during the upvirard spring. 
The usual gait of the Tick Bird is a slow walk not unlike 
that of our Quiscalus but more clumsy and labored, the 
tail carried high very like the Grackles. Not infrequently 
the bird vfill run four or five yards, the body flattened 
close to the ground, the tail carried low — a peculiar 
gliding run which constantly reminded me of that of a 
lizard. As a rule they are silent birds but when once they 
begin calling they make a great clamor. 
