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CHAP. XIV.] THE NEOTKOPICAL REGION. 57
In the preceding enumeration the Bahamas have been included
with Cuba, as regards the birds they have in common ; but they
possess some half dozen species not found elsewhere, and even
one central American genus of humming-birds (Doricha) not
found in any other part of the Antilles. We have thus given
Cuba rather more peculiar species than it really possesses, so
that the proportionate richness of Jamaica is rather greater than
shown by our figures.
The destruction of the forests and the increase of population,
with, perhaps, the use of firearms, seem to have led to the
extermination of some species of birds in the smaller islands.
Professor Newton has called attention to the work of M. Ledru,
who, in 1796, described the birds of St. Thomas. He mentions
a parrot and a parroquet in the island, the latter only being
now known, and very scarce ; also a green pigeon and a tody,
both now unknown. No less than six species of parrots are
said to have been formerly tound in Guadeloupe and Martinique,
which are now extinct.
Plate XVII, Illustrating the 'peculiar Mammalia and Birds of
the Antilles.—The scene of this illustration is Cuba, the largest
of the West Indian islands, and one in which all its peculiar
zoological features are well developed. In the foreground is the
agouta \Solenodon cubanus), a remarkable insectivorous animal
which, with another species inhabiting Hayti, has no allies on
the American continent; nor anywhere in the world but in
Madagascar, where a group of animals are found constituting
the family Centetidse, to which Solenodon is said undoubtedly to
belong. Above it are a pair of hutias (Capromys fournieri),
rat-like animals belonging to the South American family Octo-
dontidse. They live in the forests, and climb trees readily, eating
all kinds of vegetable food. Three species of the genus are
known, which are found only in Cuba and Jamaica. Just above
these animals is a white-breasted trogon (Prionoteles temnurus),
confined to Cuba, and the only species of the genus. Near the
top of the picture are a pair of todies (Todus multicolor), singular
little insectivorous birds allied to the motmots, but forming a
very distinct family which is confined to the islands of the