BIRDS OF SOUTHERN VERACRUZ — WETMORE 257 



I shot the specimen listed above, early in the morning I found a flock 

 resting in the tops of bushes in old milpa, waiting for the sun to 

 pierce a fog so as to dry their wet and bedraggled plumage. After 

 looking them over, the}' appeared in such poor shape that I decided 

 not to take a specimen. When I returned at 11 a. m. they were 

 within 50 yards of the same spot, and as they were then dry and in 

 good condition I shot one. They often rest with wings distended 

 and tail spread to catch the sun. The notes of this species are high 

 I ed and in the main are quite different from the querulous calls 

 of Crotophaga ani. 



TAPERA NAEVIA EXCELLENS (Sclater) 



Diplopterus excellens P. L. Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1857 (Jan. 12, 1858), 

 p. 229 (San Andres Tuxtla, Veracruz, Mexico). 



This interesting cuckoo may be more common than is supposed, as 

 it is shy and is found mainly in the breeding season when its presence 

 is indicated by its calls. In 1939 I heard the double-noted whistle 

 at intervals in brushy localities in old fields, but did not succeed in 

 seeing one for some time. On April 13, in the region known as Para 

 Madera, as I came down toward the Arroyo Tepanaguasapan, I 

 heard one and began to imitate it, meanwhile walking slowly along. 

 The sound proved to be louder and to come from a greater distance 

 than I had supposed. Finally I caught sight of a grayish, long- 

 tailed, crested bird resting in the shadow of branches 10 feet from 

 the ground, but it disappeared immediately. I continued to call and 

 the bird to answer, until it showed again, when I shot it. The alula 

 has large, broad feathers, dark in color, in contrast to the rest of the 

 wing. The pollex is highly flexible, so that the feathers were ex- 

 tended as I extended the wing. 



Carriker secured one on the trail to Tapacoyan, on the base of 

 Cerro de Tuxtla, April 9, 1940, and heard one calling at Tlacotalpam 

 on May 17. 



Family STRIGIDAE 



GLAUCIDIUM BRASILIANUM RIDGWAYI Sharpe 



Glaucidium ridgwayi Sharpe, Ibis, 1875, p. 55 (Mexico). 



The nine specimens obtained were collected in 1940 by Carriker 

 among the coastal sandhills at El Cone jo on February 6, at Tres 

 Zapotes on March 4, 6, 12, and 20, and near Hueyapa on March 8, 

 15, and 25 and April 2. Although these differ somewhat in depth of 

 color, all of them curiously enough are in rufescent phase. 



SPEOTYTO CUNICULARIA HYPUGAEA (Bonaparte) 



Strix hypugaea Bonaparte, American ornithology, vol. 1, 1825, p. 72, pi. 7, 

 fig. 2 (plains of the Platte River). 



