266 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY. 
(form saccharinct ) occur only on the island of St. Vincent, and are 
all very rare. Therefore, unless it can be proved that specimens of 
Mangrove Cuckoos, blackbirds, or Yellow-breasted Honey Creepers 
could not by any chance have been procured on Bequia (only six 
miles from Kingstown) such specimens must be disregarded in con¬ 
sidering the avifauna of this district. 
On the Grenadines, the plumage of birds fades with remarkable 
rapidity, owing to the small rainfall and general absence of trees, 
and the consequently dry, hot, and unsheltered conditions under 
which the birds live. This fading is very noticeable in the Man¬ 
grove Cuckoo, and it is unsafe to draw any conclusions from any 
but perfectly fresh material. 
Sex. 
Measurements. 
Locality. 
Wing. 
mm. 
Tail. 
mm. 
Culmen. 
mm. 
Depth 
of Bill 
mm. 
c? C. m. vincentis (type) 
St. Vincent 
137 
177 
30 
12 
9 “ (topotype) 
U 
137 
176 
31 
12 
— “ (average of four) 
St. Lucia 
139 
178 
28 
11 
cf C. m. dominicae (average of three) Dominica 
143 
166 
28 
11 
9 << << u (< 
(( 
143 
167 
28 
11 
c? C. m. minor (average of three) 
Bequia 
134 
176 
27 
11 
9 
U 
130 
173 
25 
10 
g ■' (average of eight) 
Union Island 
133 
169 
27 
10.5 
9 “ (average of three) 
4 ‘ a 
133 
168 
26.5 
10 
c? “ (average of two) 
Carriacou 
134 
167.5 
26.5 
10 
? 
U 
132 
176 
27 
11 
rf “ (average of two) 
Grenada 
133 
173 
27 
10 
9 “ “ “ “ 
(C 
132 
172 
28 
11 
The seven specimens examined from St. Lucia all agree in color 
with the St. Vincent birds, but approach those from Dominica in 
the character of the bill. Only the two having the largest and the 
two having the smallest bills were measured. 
Idle Cuckoo Manioc is rare on St. Vincent at present. I met 
with several in the upper part of the Peter’s Hope valley, near 
Barrouallie, and saw single individuals in the woods behind Clia- 
teaubelair (October, 1903), on Belleisle Hill (February, 1904), and 
in the grounds of the Agricultural school at Kingstown (February, 
1904). 
Lister remarks that he has often heard its notes when entering 
the high woods, although he mentions that it also occurs in the 
lowlands. It appears to be now confined to the borders of the high 
woods and to clearings in the higher mountain valleys. 
