81. Arbelorhina cyanea (Linn.). "APARCEIDO DE SAN DIEGO."-An immature, molting male, taken at San Pablo while feeding on the fruit of the cupey tree, was the only one seen. 82. Mniotilta varia (Linn.). -Not uncommon. BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER. North American Warblers which winter in or migrate through Cuba are not recognized by the natives under specific names, but are known by the general name 'Mariposa.' 83. Compsothlypis americana (Linn.). PARUla Warbler. -Not uncommon. 84. Dendroica tigrina (Gmel.). CAPE MAY WARBLER.Six were observed. 85. Dendroica petechia (Linn.). "CANARIO DE MANGLAR." CUBAN YELLOW WARBLER.-Observed only at Casilda, where a few were found in or near the mangroves. Their song is easily distinguished from that of Dendroica estiva. Three specimens. show that in the adult the crown has a cap of reddish chestnut. Through the kindness of Mr. Ridgway I have been permitted to examine the National Museum specimens of this group, including Baird's types of Dendroica petechia gundlachi. These specimens, four in number, are all in immature plumage, and I think misled Prof. Baird to separate the Cuban from the Jamaican bird. I have seen only six specimens from the latter island, and so far as I am able to judge from this material there are no characters on which birds from the two islands may be separated. The Bahaman bird, however, which has previously been considered the same as the Cuban species, is apparently a quite distinct race and may stand as Dendroica petechia flaviceps, subsp. nov. Chars. Subsp.-Smaller and more yellow than any bird in the group, and as a rule without a well-defined crown cap. Description of Type (No. 39,848, Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. Adult male, Rum Cay, Bahamas, March 4, 1886. Collected by the naturalists of the Fish Commission Steamer 'Albatross.' U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 108,076),--Above greenish yellow, the crown yellower and with traces of concealed rufous; wings externally brownish black, the quills margined with yellow externally and with their coverts heavily margined externally with the color of the back; tail dark greenish brown, the inner webs of the feathers, except the middle pair, entirely yellow except at the tip and a narrow strip along the vane; underparts rich yellow, the breast and sides streaked with rufous. Wing, 2.38; tail, 1.98; bill, .41 in. Of this new race I have examined a series of twenty-one adult males from Rum Cay, New Providence, Conception, Wattling, Eleuthera and Cat Islands, taken by the same collectors in March, 1886. In nine of the twenty-one the rufous of the head, while not clearly defined, is at once evident; in the remaining twelve the head is apparently but slightly yellower than the back, but on closer examination the feathers are found to have small brownish centres or shaft streaks. The most highly-developed birds of the nine have the brownish centres larger and showing through the greenish yellow tips of the feathers. Doubtless in more worn plumage these yellowish tips would disappear, and in three birds from Conception and Wattling Islands there would remain sufficient brown to form a cap similar to that seen in Jamaican and Cuban specimens. The smaller size of the Bahaman bird is shown by the following average measurements: Nine males from Rum Cay: wing, 2.40; tail, 2.01; bill, .40 in. Three males from Cuba: wing, 2.56; tail, 2.07; bill, .40 in. Five males from Jamaica: wing, 2.59; tail, 2.12; bill, .40 in. Two males from Grand Cayman: wing, 2.54; tail, 2.05; bill, .40 in. 86. Dendroica cærulescens (Gmel.). BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER.-Both sexes were very common. 87. Dendroica coronata (Linn.). MYRTLE WARBLER.Two were observed. 88. Dendroica dominica (Linn.). YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER.-Two were seen, one of which was secured. 89. Dendroica palmarum (Gmel.). PALM WARBLER.Exceedingly common. I saw no specimens of hypochrysea, which is easily distinguishable from palmarum in the field. 90. Dendroica discolor (Vieill.). PRAIRIE WARBLER.Common. 91. Seiurus aurocapillus (Linn.). OVEN-BIRD.-Not un common. 92. Seiurus motacilla (Vieill.). LOUISIANA WAter-thrush. -Not uncommon. 93. Geothlypis trichas (Linn.). MARYLAND YELLOWTHROAT.-Not uncommon. 94. Setophaga ruticilla (Linn.). AMERICAN REDSTART.Common. 95. Mimus polyglottos (Linn.). SINSONTE, MOCKINGBIRD.-Two birds, one of which was singing, were seen on the south slope of the coast range near Trinidad. They are not common anywhere, and are unknown away from the immediate vicinity of the coast. 96. Galeoscoptes carolinensis (Linn.). SINSONTE GATO. CATBIRD.-Common, but not in song. 97. Polioptila cærulea (Linn.). "RABUITA." BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER.-Five were seen, of which two were secured. I have not compared them with P. c. cæsiogaster, of which I have no specimens. 98. Polioptila lembeyi (Gundl.). SINSONTILLO."—One specimen was secured at Casilda. It was singing a song which resembled that of P. cærulea, but it possessed greater volume and sweetness. 99. Mimocichla rubripes (Temm.). ZORZAL. CUBAN ROBIN. An abundant species, reminding me strongly in some of its habits of our Robin (Merula migratoria). It was, however, an inhabitant of the lower growth, but still, like the Robin, it frequented the clearings, hopping a yard or so, then stopping, raising and lowering its tail in a pensive kind of way. At times it flew into the higher branches of the trees to sing. Its song is a weak, unmusical performance, curiously suggestive of a young Robin's first attempts, while the manner of singing is somewhat disconnected, as though the bird sang with an effort. A common and very singular call-note resembled the cry uttered by an adult Robin when held captive and presumably greatly alarmed or in pain, but Mimocichla utters this call when alone and under no excitement whatever. As a rule these birds were seen in pairs, and though evidently mated they showed no signs of breeding. There is remarkably little sexual or individual variation among nineteen specimens collected in the mountains and in the valley, and all are typical of rubripes. M. schistacea is apparently confined to the eastern part of the island but the differences which distinguish it from rubripes are so slight that they doubtless intergrade as their habitats approach each other. II. NOTES ON MAMMALS OBSERVED. According to Dr. Gundlach (Cont. Mamalogia Cubana, Havana, 1877), there are found in Cuba three species of Capromys, one of Solenodon, and nineteen species of Bats. The Solenodont is apparently unknown near Trinidad. Of Bats, one sees only the insect-feeding species coursing in the open, while the fruit-eating species are confined to the woods. Shortly before leaving San Juan I found that a long, narrow tract of woods at the base of the mountain was the nightly highway of immense numbers of Bats. They rushed through here in a continuous flight, flying from within a few feet of the ground to a height level with the tree tops. They were doubtless of several species, but I did not succeed in finding the cave or caves from which they proceeded. 1. Mus tectorum Savi. RATA. ROOF RAT.-Abundant. I found this Rat inhabiting remote caves in the mountains where it was feeding on wild fruits, and was evidently quite independent I saw neither Mus rattus nor M. decumanus. of man. 2. Mus musculus Linn. RATONCITO." HOUSE MOUse.— Abundant. In disintegrated Barn Owl pellets, secured in a cave, I found the remains of twenty-five House Mice and one Rat. The absence of the remains of other small Rodents is evidence pointing towards their absence from the island. 3. Capromys pilorides Say. HUTIA CONGA.-A common animal in the mountains and foot-hills where it lives among the rocks. It passes the day in concealment, generally in one of the innumerable holes among the rocks, and comes out at night to feed. At the time of my visit it was feeding on the 'guasima,' a small, round, green, nut-like fruit, which grew in abundance in trees about twenty feet in height. It is arboreal, and obtains this fruit by climbing the trees for it. It climbs slowly, but passes along limbs having a diameter of not more than one and a half inches with ease. It sometimes passes the day in a tree, choosing one with a rich growth of parasitic plants among which it conceals itself. The largest of three specimens is an adult female, which contained four small embryos, and measured: total length, 31.88; tail, 8.07; hind foot, 3.93; fore foot, 2.44; greatest girth, 3.46 in. The Hutia Mono (Capromys prehensilis) was reported to me by the natives, who said it was much rarer than Hutia Conga. 4. Capromys columbianus, sp. nov. Based on a portion of a semi-fossil skull, showing the malar and alveolar portion of the maxillary of the right side, one upper molar, the anterior portion of the palate and anterior two-thirds of the inner border of the molar alveoli of the left side. This fragment of the skull, of which a figure is presented,' belongs to a species of Capromys, slightly smaller than fully adult specimens of Capromys pilorides, but differing decidedly from any known species of the group. Fig. 3. In pilorides the space between the inner borders of the alveoli at the anterior margin of the upper premolar is .21 in. ; in columbianus the space between the same parts at the anterior margin of the first molar is but .04 in., and the alveoli would 1 Compare with a figure of the inferior surface of the skull of Capromys ingrahami, this Bulletin, III, 1891, p. 335. 2 Cf. also Dobson, P. Z. S., 1884, p. 235, where measurements of the skulls of four species are given. |