78 FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY ORNITHOLOGY, VOL. I. 



19. Ortalis vetula plumbeiceps Gray. 



This chachalaca, or chacha as it is called by the natives of Guate- 

 mala, was found to be rather common in the lowlands, and adjacent 

 portions of the upland country. They were noted at Gualan, which 

 is well above the swamps though not remote from them, but not at 

 El Rancho. Shortly after sunrise and at intervals during the day, 

 they utter their resounding cries, of which the word cha-cha-la-ca is 

 perhaps as good an imitation as can be put into printed syllables. 

 When these vocal evolutions are in progress it is difficult to decide how 

 many birds are calling, or where they are located, except as to general 

 direction. Judging from their cries they are occasionally on or near 

 the ground, but all that were seen were in trees. During the day 

 they remain in heavy timber, but morning and evening they come 

 to the edges of the clearings and to the cane brakes along the streams. 

 Three examples were secured at Los Amates. These had the throat 

 flesh color, the bill and feet horn-blue and the irides dark brown. 



20. Ortalis leucogastra (Gould) . 



The white-bellied chachalaca was found only at San Jose. Here 

 it was tolerably common, but at neither Patulul nor Mazatenango 

 was it seen or heard. This bird was seen to take rather long flights 

 high above the timber. It flies with neck straight and crest raised, 

 which, with its long tail, give it an unusual contour. Its flight is 

 direct and steady, and of moderate speed. The colors of iris and 

 other soft parts are like those of plumbeiceps. 



Family Columbi(l?p. 



21. Columba flavirostris Wagler. 



A single specimen of this pigeon, taken at San Jose, was the only 

 one recognized anywhere in the country. Iris orange; eyelids and 

 base of bill red; tip of bill white. 



22. Columba rufina Temminck and Knip. 



The only pigeons of this species, that were found, were two taken 

 at Los Amates, January 27th. Pigeons were numerous in that 

 region, but the thick vegetation usually made it impossible to dis- 

 tinguish one species from another in the trees. It is probable that 

 rufina is common there. These specimens, both females, ishow con- 

 siderable variation in color of the interscapulars, which may be due 



