258 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 93 



In March 1939 one came occasionally at dusk to perch on mounds 

 of earth at the archeological excavations adjacent to our camp. 



CICCABA VIRGATA CENTRALIS Griscom 



Ciccaba virgata centralis Griscom, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. 69, Apr. 1929, 

 p. 159 (Chivela, Oaxaca, Mexico). 



The tccolote apparently is fairly common around Tres Zapotes, 

 though entirely nocturnal, so that it was seen only by chance. On 

 April 7, 1939, as we entered the heavy woodland at Arroyo Corredor, 

 Ramon's keen eye discovered one of these owls resting in the top of 

 a palm 40 feet from the ground, under the projecting fronds of the 

 head, where it was protected from the rain that had been falling. 

 This was a female about to lay. The iris was deep yellow, bill olive- 

 green, cere dull brownish orange, toes dull olive, and claws horn 

 color tipped with dusky. The left ear opening was 15 mm. in length 

 and the right one 22 mm. The right opening appeared to include 

 approximately twice the area of the left one. 



On another day I flushed one in second-growth forest from a 

 perch under a heavy mat of creepers 10 feet from the ground. As it 

 flew silently away the light tail bars were prominent. 



Carriker in 1940 secured skins at Tres Zapotes on March 6 and 

 April 5, one being shot at night near camp. Two others were obtained 

 near Hueyapa on March 7 and April 8. He noted two notes from 

 this owl, one a hooting call and the other, heard at camp, resembling 

 the crying of a child. The source of the latter was uncertain until 

 he shot the bird. 



These specimens agree with the characters of centralis and include 

 birds in both light and dark phases. While Peters 21 has placed the race 

 named eatoni by the Kelsos 22 in the synonymy of centralis, more 

 material may prove this to be a valid form, with a range including 

 the extreme eastern section of Tabasco, Campeche, British Honduras, 

 and northern Peten. The few that I have seen from this area 

 appear to be smaller and generally paler than centralis, seeming 

 clearer white below in the light phase. Owing to the double color 

 phase in these owls, and their blending colors and color patterns, 

 large series are necessary to work out their geographic forms 

 successfully. 



Family NYCTIBIIDAE 



NYCTIBIUS GRISEUS MEXICANUS Nelson 



Nyctibhis jamaicemis mexiccuius Ni:lson, Auk, 1900, p. 260 (Metlaltoyuca, Puebla, 

 Mexico). 



« Check-list of birds of the world, vol. 4, 1010. p. 154. 



22 Ciccaba virgata eatoni Leon Kelso and Estelle H. Kelso, Auk, 1036, p 216 (Apazote, 

 Cami>eche, Mexico). 



