319 
during a Cruise in the Caribbean Sea. 
Mimus gilvus rostratus. 
Mimus gilvus rostratus Ridgway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 
1884, p. 173 (Curacao) ; Berl. J.f. O. 1892, p. 74 (Curasao); 
Hartert, Ibis, 1893, p. 294. 
Five males and two females. 
This was one of the commonest birds met with, and was 
present in large numbers. A small group of mangrove-trees 
was, towards sunset on the day of our arrival, simply 
swarming with them. I have noticed them collecting to¬ 
gether at dusk in a similar way on Margarita Island at the 
same season of the year. The plumage was much worn, and 
some individuals were beginning to moult. These birds 
are very numerous on Blanquilla Island, where, at the 
beginning of February 1907, they were in full song and 
commencing to nest. We shot one specimen on Testigo 
Grande which was pure white (irides normal). 
There is no doubt that the bills of these birds, and of 
examples from Curacao, Blanquilla, and possibly Margarita 
Island, tend to be larger than in typical Mimus gilvus. I 
have accordingly referred them to Mr. Ridgway’s M. gilvus 
rostratus. Male birds are always larger than females. 
The average mearsurements of the exposed culmen in 
birds from 
Los Testigos = 
19*2 
mm. 
Blanquilla Isi. „ 
20 
a 
Margarita Isl. „ 
19 
>> 
Curasao ,, 
23 
-{ 
(Ridgway, Birds of N. 
& Mid. Amer.j 
Grenada „ 
17*5 
)> 
Mr. Ridgway Birds of North and Middle America/ 
part iv. p. 236) describes this subspecies as ei similar to 
M. g. gilvus (West Indian specimens), but slightly larger, 
with bill much larger, and white of chest less tinged with 
grey.” I believe, however, that the amount of grey on the 
chest is indicative of age, for I have specimens which I shot 
on Curasao which are distinctly more grey than those from 
Grenada and St. Vincent, and the same remark applies to 
