284 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 93 



Apparently this species is uncommon, as only three were taken. On 

 March 21, 1939, 1 shot one from a tree top near camp at Tres Zapotes. 

 On March 27, 1940, Modesto, Carriker's assistant, killed two from tall 

 trees near the arroyo at Hueyapa. Unless seen near at hand they may 

 be confused with the more abundant Tityra semifasciata personata. 



While like Tityra in general style of coloration, this species in its 

 various races differs so distinctly in closely feathered loral and orbital 

 region, more swollen bill, with less strongly uncinate tip, longer gonys, 

 which is much greater than the mandibular rami, and in the taxas- 

 pidian type of scutellation of the tarsus, that it definitely merits treat- 

 ment as a distinct genus. 



Family TYRANNIDAE 



SAYORNIS PHOEBE (Latham): Eastern Phoebe 

 Muscicapa Phoebe Latham, Index ornithologicus, vol. 2, 1790, p. 489 (New York). 



At Tlacotalpam on February 5 Carriker shot a female from a wire 

 fence in a pasture near a patch of thorn scrub. 



PYROCEPHALUS RUBINUS BLATTEUS Bangs 



Pyrocephalus rubineus blatteus Bangs, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 24, Jane 

 23, 1911, p. 189 (Sabune district, British Honduras). 



Vermilion flycatchers, known here as the cardenal. were taken at 

 Tres Zapotes on March 17 and April 7, 1939, and January 17, March 27, 

 and April 2, 1940, and at Tlacotalpam on February 5 and 20, 1940. 

 They were found in open pastures, being always present in the little 

 savanna near camp, and were especially common in the savanna area 

 in the section called Para Madera. In March and April I found them 

 often in pairs. Males were seen displaying during this period, and 

 Carriker saw a fully fledged young bird near Tlacotalpam on May 16. 

 He recorded the species as common in the coastal area at El Conejo. 



Unexpectedly, the series taken is of the southern race, as indicated 

 by wing measurements of 74 to 77 mm. for males and 72.7 to 73.4 for 

 females. The bills in some are equal only to the maximum in P. r. 

 mexicanus but in others are definitely larger. The race is one known 

 previously north only to Yucatan, Campeche, and Peten. 



MUSCIVORA FORFICATA (Gmelin) : Scissor-tailcd Flycatcher 



Muscicapa forficata Gmelin, Systema naturae, vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 931 (Mexico). 

 The tijerilla seemingly is a migrant at Tres Zapotes, as neither 

 Carriker nor I observed it there until the latter part of March. 1 

 recorded the first one March 25, and on March 27 I saw two resting in 

 a dead tree that stood in water at Laguna del Tular. On April 1 I 



