New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-15


tat being all Over the island ,, Tho
BY stretching point, we might INCLUDE tne
parrots in the list of game bros; loca'y nH in
"a "cetorras' and ''perriQuitos. anu Iouhu IN
every part Of the island. Tying from Tree ~
tree and screeching "for all they are wo''n.
The turtle doves says the spanish autnor, or
smaller than the species OF Span pu. exceed
ingly abundant. Only one species OF parrot 10
given by the naturalists as resident mere: Gu, uus
doubtless there may be an9tner - th e annual
migrations five species OF plover are ehuI, t.,
ated. eight of sandpipers, one snipe Itne WI wv
SOM, two stills and one avoset. Inc t,uo
water birds comprise two species or coot, t"o
calIinules two rails $50 far known. one Jucana,
several heron. including the great blue anu e.,e
snowy-here called "garzas'-a few DUCKS oo
REASONABLY in the rivers and mention IS inaue oi
one species Of water birds the JULIUS, winch
so correctly initiates the human voice as Some
times to deceive those who near IT,
COAST BIRDS.
Tho "maritimas." or coast birds include the
great pelicans. that fish lazily along the shores;
the famingoes. which PROBABLY conne " ,he au,Is
the Bahamas. where they breed. ana the guns
and terms , .o,,. Tho
rivers we find the noisy kinshsher the ce,y
smaller. but Of more brilliant plumase. rive
species Of hawk are given including the pere,
CRIME falcon. red-shOuldered. sparrow anu
pigeon hawk while the great hsh hawk' vi
osorey-Pandion balietos- often be seen
happing In the air. scanning the sea LOT hsh'
There are or should be- two species OF Vu'uIe
the black and the turkey buzzard-whicn per
form such valuable work as scavengers ana are
everywhere protected by law. or Owls TWO spe-
cies are mentioned. including the somewhat raI RAJ
burrowing owl, which dens In the earth Inc
whippOOrwill one species. Is seen mere. as wen
| aa the night hawk a swift and two swallows.
three or four cuckoOs. one crow one reumInb
and one crow backpird three vireos. two spar,
rows one icterus. two buntings. redstart ana
/ nj
thrush and the ever welcome. tuneful knocking.
bird a variety Of our own "mocker ano named
! after the aged ornithoiogist OF Cuba. Dr. Huhu-
ZACH.
There are four species Of fycatchers among
them the "ppree," which Is as pugnacious az ms
near relative Of the North. the well known KING
| bird: only instead of attacking the crows. he
| vents his dispeasure on the vultures and hawks
| The Spanish author speaks OF the "ruseno, OF
| nightingale. which. he says, is larger than tha'
of Spain. has song sonorous and agreeaDe'
hut is not so melodous az his Spanish cousin. lie
| refers probably to the hooking bird. though the
! wren Zone species) il a delightful musician al
! times. the nightingale not being found IN me
island. Last of all. those winged gems Oh the
air the metallic hued humming birds, whlcn are
always associated with tropic climate Vegeta-
! ton and scenes There are four species mere
none Of them 80 beautiful AZ are found further
south but all attractive and comparatively
HUMMING- BIRDS.
II the nseudo naturalists and feather hunters
can he held in restraint, now tndt til' iSiahu ="
I longs to the United States, the humm,ng- pirns
! will soon become almost as abundant az the
! English sparrows are in America ihty. al,
/ fearless even at times quite pugnacious, ana
! have a liking for man and human habltatlonS
| preferring gardens OF flowers to the deep forests
! or isolated cODSes for their nesting places
Altogether perhaps. there are one hundred ana
! afty species of birds great and small. in Porto
! Rico but few Of which can be made to serve AZ
! means of sport or recreation. or mammals
! there are fewer yet. the largest ferrous duadru-
ped being the "cimarroh." or 'perro monte In
vulgar parlance. the wild dog-which lives in the
forests and commits depredatons upon the
! farmers pigs and calves 1t ranges In small
bands. is iierce and alert. and though no authen-
tic cases are reported of its attacking man. yet II
| might on occasion. dcvour children IL they came
| in its way. -,
Now and then a Wild hog may be met with
| but there are no herds OF peccares as in more
| southern Islands, the largest mammal or &C
| count in a culinary sense being the pretty little
agouti QDasy prOcta agutD. an inonensiVe. mare
| like animal. which lives on the borders oil
| plantations and sometimes invades the provision
grounds Its flesh Is delicate and savory. as also
| is that OF the armadillo. which Is mercilessly
| hunted for the table: but neither can surpass
the tail meat of the iguana, which III II were not
for its resemblance to the alligator would De
| held I'm greater esteem. The iguana was early
introduced to the Spaniards as an article or diet
and some Of the rare specimens OF book engrav-
| jcgs show the guana being "bOucanned. OF
roasted over fire In the most approved al
frescO style.
A WESTERN EDEN.