Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-07

given by the naturaiists as resident here:
but doubtless there may be another. or
Tue shore birds such as visit the island
IN their annual migrations. five species OF
PloNer are enumerated. eight OF sandpipcrs
one Snipe Cthe Wilsons), two stills and ons
aEoset. The fresh water birds COMPRISE
TWO species Of Coot. two gallinules. two rails
$50 Tar known, one tacana, several heron.
including Tho great blue and the snowy
mere called 'garzas "a few ducks o,Ca-
sIonally in the rivers and mention IS made
or one species Of water bird. the Julius"
which - correctly initiates the human
voice as sometimes to deceive those who
hear II
The "maritlmas or coast birds. include
the great peiicans. that fish laziiy alone,
me shores: the ilamingoes. which proha hly
come here from the Bahamas. where they
preeo, ana The gulls and terms.
Other species.
Flying through the gorges and above the
rivers We find the noisy kn.asher the
eeryle alcyon. ana there ought 10 be anoth-
e. species. smaller bat Of more brilliant
plumage. Five species of hawk are given.
including the percgrine falcon. red-shoul-
dered, sparrow and pigeon hawk: while the
great FISH hawk or osur.y-pandiou hali.'oz
may often be seen Tapping In the air
scanning tn sea for fish. There are or
should be, TWO species of vuiture the black
ana the turkey huzZard. which perform
stch valuable work a. Scavcngcrs and ar.
eN"ryw here protected by law. OF owls two
species arr mentioned. including the some
wat rare hurroWinE owl. which aaus IN
me EARN. The whippoorwill one species
Is seen here. as well as the night hawk a
SWIFT ana two swallows. three or four
cu'kooS, one crow. one rAd-w!ng and one
crow -hiackhira. three Nireos two STATIONS
one icteruS, two buntincS a rcdstart ana
dozen species Of warnlers. Two species
OF thrush and the cver-welco1n.. tuncfttI
oChne bird, variety Of our own "rn,rk-
er. ard named after the agad ornithologist
or Cuba, DIR. GundlaCh
There are four sra,iss of a,.c, d.,
among them the ''piYirce" which f. a g y.,,g-
n2ciouS as his near relative of the NORTH
the well-known king bird: only. Instead 81
al lacking the crows, he vents his dispf.l.-
ure on the VultHrcS and hawks Tb,. Sp1u-
iSh author speaks Of the ''rusanoI - or
Nightingale. which. he SAYS is larger than
'har 81 spain; has a song sonorous and
agreeable. but not so mclofiaps rs his
Spanish cousin He refers prob,1l,. Ia no
h1"cklng bird though the wren zone sDe-
cleSl Is deightfu' musician Al times Tho
HEn'lnsal" not being found In the island
Last OF all. those winged gems Of tho air
the mttalic-hued hummiug birds which
are always associated with tropic climate
vegetation and scenes There arr fo.lr
species here, none of them so beautiful "a
are found farther south. but all attractive
and comparatively abundant
II the pseudo natura,ists and feather
hunters can he held i'm restraint. now fiat
.'t' 'si'tltR h'loRSS 10 the nitpd states. fhc
fummlng birds Will soon become almost rs
abundant as the English sparrows are in
America They are fearless. even at times
quife nugnaciGuS and have a liking for man
ana human hahirationS prcferrinc gardens
OF flowers to the deep forests or isolated
copses for their nesting places.
Mammals Are Few.
Altogether perhaps there are 100 species
of birds, great and small In Porto Rico.
but few OF which can be made to serve IS
means of sport or recreation OF mann
mails there are fewer yet the largest ferrous
quadruped being the 'cimarroh." or ''prrro
monte'-in vulgar parlance. the wild dog
which lives IN the forests and commits dep
rotations upon the farmers pigs and
calves. II ranges in small bands is fierce
and alert. and, though no authentic cases
are reported Of its attacking man. vet
might on occasion dcVoUr children If th-v
came in its way.
Now and then n wild hog may bc met
with. but there are no herds Of prccartae
as in more southern Islands The largest
mammal OF account i'm "a culinary sense be
ing the pretty little agouu (1asy-procta agU-
~. an mofenSiTe, hare-l.kc animal which
lives on the borders of plantations and
sometimes invades the provision grounds
Its flesh is delicate and savUry. as also Is
that OF the armadiilo which liz mcrcileSsly
hunted for the table; but neither can sur
pass the tail meat of tn" iguama, which II
1t were not for its resemblance to the alli-
gator, would be held In greater esteem
The iSuana was early introduced 10 the
Spaniards as an article Of dict. and some Of
the rare specimens of book engravings
show the iguana being 'boucanned.'' or
roasted, over fire, in he most approved
al 1feScO style. L. "A. ODER