Part 1

Transcriber’s Note: See also the companion book “Illustrations of the Birds of Jamaica”

THE BIRDS OF JAMAICA.

BY PHILIP HENRY GOSSE;

ASSISTED BY RICHARD HILL, ESQ., OF SPANISH-TOWN.

LONDON: JOHN VAN VOORST, PATERNOSTER ROW. M.DCCC.XLVII.

LONDON: Printed by +S. & J. Bentley+, +Wilson+, and +Fley+, Bangor House, Shoe Lane.

PREFACE.

White of Selbourne has somewhere expressed the gratification which would be afforded to him by a sight of the hirundines of the “hot and distant island” of Jamaica. We know, in fact, exceedingly little of the biography of tropical animals—of those details of their habits, which are to be known only by a close and continued observation of them in their woodland homes. The present volume may perhaps contribute an acceptable item to the amount of information, derived, as it is, entirely from original investigation. Nearly two hundred species of birds are thus ascertained to belong to the Jamaica Fauna, though of several of these, the author can give only indications more or less precise. He cannot doubt that many species have escaped the researches both of himself and his friends, especially among the migrant visitors. The valuable assistance, however, of a resident Ornithologist, whose notes pervade this volume, and to whom he would here express his deep gratitude, have greatly diminished the omissions which must otherwise have been unavoidable.

Perhaps a word of apology may be thought needful for the minuteness with which the author has sometimes recorded dates, and other apparently trivial circumstances, in his observations. It is because of his conviction, that an observer is hardly competent to determine what circumstance is trivial, and what is important: many a recorded fact in science has lost half its value from the omission of some attendant circumstance, which the observer either did not notice, or thought irrelevant. It is better to err on the side of minuteness than of vagueness.

The author takes this opportunity of proffering his cordial thanks to those friends in Jamaica who kindly assisted his investigations; and particularly to Andrew G. Johnston, Esq., of Portland, and George Wilkie, Esq., of Spanish-town.

+London+, March, 1847.

SYNOPSIS OF THE BIRDS OF JAMAICA.

+Order.+—ACCIPITRES.

+Fam.+—VULTURIDÆ. Cathartes aura.

+Fam.+—FALCONIDÆ. Buteo borealis. Falco anatum. columbarius. [Morphnus urubitinga. [Pandion Carolinensis. [Nauclerus furcatus.

+Fam.+—STRIGIDÆ. Ephialtes grammicus. Strix pratincola.

+Order.+—PASSERES.

+Fam.+—CAPRIMULGIDÆ. Chordeiles Virginianus. Nyctibius Jamaicensis. pallidus.

+Fam.+—HIRUNDINIDÆ. Acanthylis collaris? Tachornis phœnicobia. Cypselus niger. Hirundo pœciloma. euchrysea. Progne Dominicensis.

+Fam.+—TODIDÆ. Todus viridis.

+Fam.+—ALCEDINIDÆ. Ceryle alcyon.

+Fam.+—NECTARINIADÆ. Certhiola flaveola. maritima.

+Fam.+—TROCHILIDÆ. Lampornis mango. Trochilus polytmus. Mellisuga humilis.

+Fam.+—CERTHIADÆ. Mniotilta varia.

+Fam.+—TURDIDÆ. Merula leucogenys. Jamaicensis. [Turdus mustelinus. Mimus polyglottus. Trichas Marylandica. Vermivora Pennsylvanica. Seiurus Noveboracensis. aurocapillus. Parula Americana. Sylvicola coronata. pensilis. æstiva. eoa. discolor. Canadensis. pannosa. pharetra.

+Fam.+—MUSCICAPADÆ. Setophaga ruticilla. Myiobius pallidus. tristis. stolidus. Tyrannus Dominicensis. caudifasciatus. crinitus. Tityra leuconotus. Vireo Noveboracensis. Vireosylva olivacea.

+Fam.+—AMPELIDÆ. [Ampelis Carolinensis. Ptilogonys armillatus.

+Fam.+—CORVIDÆ. Cyanocorax pileatus. Corvus Jamaicensis.