58



S. Porter—A West Indian Diary



The Ani lives on large insects which it procures from the ground.

The upper mandible is greatly enlarged and flattened towards the

centre, resembling that of a miniature hornbill. The knife-shaped ridge

of the upper mandible enables the bird to dig in the soil or manure for

the larvae of certain large beetles. When the birds are disturbed they

utter a strange querulous cry resembling that of the Guira Cuckoo.

Few birds are more gregarious than this one and they always give

the impression that they delight in each other’s company. I should

imagine the Ani would make a most delightful and intelligent pet but

it would appear that it has never been kept in this country.


A near relative of the Ani is the Mangrove Cuckoo ( Coccyzus minor),

a bird which it in no way resembles either in plumage or demeanour.

This bird does not appear especially to frequent the Mangrove thickets

of which there appear to be few in the Bahamas. It is found creeping

silently about in the dense vegetation which covers the coral rocks

on New Providence Island, in search of caterpillars, upon which it

largely subsists. It is a bird which never obtrudes itself upon the notice

of the observer and if it becomes aware that it is being watched it

quietly slips away into the undergrowth. In colour and shape it

rather resembles the better known American Yellow-billed Cuckoo,

but the beak appears to be longer and black in colour.


A very common but modest little bird is the Black-faced Grass

Finch or Quit ( Tiaris bicolor ), a near relation of the well-known Cuban

and Olive Finches. It is found in the gardens of Nassau, by the

roadsides, and in most of the native plantations or wherever there is a

chance of its finding the minute grass seeds upon which it lives. Being

so small and sombrely coloured it escapes attention in the low herbage,

but as one approaches their feeding grounds one or two birds will

rise up, perch on a nearby branch or wire rail and as soon as the supposed

danger passes, the birds drop back into the flock and continue their

feeding, but should the birds on the look out think the danger

threatening, they will give the alarm note, and the whole flock will

rise up and take shelter in a nearby bush.


Nearly all the West Indian Islands have their own species of honey

creepers, small and rather inconspicious birds reminding one somewhat

of sunbirds (Certhiola bahamissis). This bird is usually seen moving



