During the past year I have examined’a number in both, 
plumages: have raised the young to full growth and have 
obtained a number of specimens in various stages of plumage 
ranging from dark-brown through intermediate colors to the 
richest purple-red. I have found by these observations that the 
color of the plumage is merely individual variation and has no 
bearing on either age or sex,—in fact it is not even constant in 
the same individual. Young birds, whose first plumage was rich 
red, became dark-brown after the second molt and later assumed 
a partially red or pied plumage. Others which began life as 
brown birds changed gradually to a partially red plamage,—or in 
some cases an entirely red livery. Other specimens were from 
the first ; pied red and brown, while others always retained the 
red or brown color which they first acquired. Both males and 
females may be either one or the other color; pied, or interme- 
diate in shade. 
I have therefore come to the conclusion that this bird has a 
tendency to ussume a dimorphic stage of plumage, such as that 
possessed by the North American Screech—owl and other birds 
and which are well known to occur in either red or gray plumage 
without regard to sex, age or season, 
Coccyzus minor shelleyi, Antillean Cuckoo. ‘“ Cuckoo 
manioce.”’ 
This bird has not only greatly increased in numbers in recent 
years but has become very widely distributed and is now common 
in all parts of the island, including the town of Reseau and its 
vicinity. ‘This species sheuld be stringently protected by law, 
for although seldom killed by the hunters, its value as an insect 
destroyer is so great that all chances of its wanton destruction 
should be eliminated. 
Eulampis holosericeus, Linn. Emerald-breasted Humming- 
bird. “ Foo-foo verte.” 
Mr. Taylor stated in his report that he found this species 
“the most common hummingbird in Dominica,” At the time 
of my visit in 1899 I found it comparatively rare and far less 
abundant than either HE. jugularis or B. exilis. During the past 
year however I have been surprised to find that it far outnumbers 
the former, and is fully equal in numbers to the latter, species ; 
particularly in the vicinity of Roseau and at Soufriére, Appa- 
rently its scarcity in 1890 was due to some unusual cause by 
which large numbers of the species were destroyed and it has 
now merely regained its normal abundance. - 
