306 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.98 



POLIOPTILA CAERULEA DEPPEI van Rosscm 



Polioptila caerulea deppei van Rossem, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoo!., vol. 77, 1934, 

 p. 402 (Rio Lagartos, Yucatan). 



Four specimens of this resident race were taken at Tres Zapotes 

 on January 20 and 26, March 26, and April 2, 1940. Measurements 

 are as follows : One male, wing 48.5, tail 41.1 mm. ; three females, 

 wing 47.9, 48.2, 48.7, tail 46.2, 46.5, 47.2 mm. The difference in size 

 that marks this race actually is little but seems diagnostic. It ap- 

 pears to me also that the gray of the upper surface is slightly lighter 

 than in the average of the northern bird. Carriker noted that the 

 male, taken on April 2, was in breeding condition. 



Van Rossem (loc. cit.) has found that the type of Bonaparte's 

 Culicivora mexicana described in the Conspectus Generum Avium, 

 vol. 1, 1850, page 316, from Oaxaca is a female of Polioptila c. cac- 

 r-ulea and has given the resident race of gnatcatcher of the lowlands 

 of southern Mexico the name deppei. 



RAMPHOCAENUS RUFIVENTRIS RUFIVENTRIS (Bonaparte) 



Scolopacinus rufiventris Bonaparte, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1837 (June 14, 

 1838), p. 119 (San Jose de Guatemala, Guatemala 59 ). 



This is a resident species around Tres Zapotes, where we secured 

 specimens on March 10, 11, and 15 and April 1, 1939, and January 26, 

 29, February 27, 28, and April 11, 1940. The birds were found in 

 dense thickets and masses of vines usually at the border of forest 

 where they remained in dense cover, so that it was difficult to see them 

 except when they were close at hand. Marked by the long, slender 

 bill, they hopped quickly among the twigs, jerking the narrow tail 

 up and down and at times cocking it over the back like a wren. The 

 song, heard frequently in sunny thickets, is a rapid, prolonged trill 

 that rises in tone at the end. 



The syrinx is oscinine and in the pterylosis the dorsal tract is defi- 

 nitely interrupted below the median rhomboid. 



Family CYCLARHIDAE 



CYCLARHIS GUJANENSIS FLAVIVENTRIS Lafresneye 



Cyclaris flaviventris Laeresnaye, Rev. Zool., vol. 5, 1842, p. 133 (Santa Cruz= 

 ?Veracruz, Mexico). 



The small series was taken near Tres Zapotes on March 18 and 23, 

 1939, and March 4, 6, and 14 and May 3 and 6, 1940. Carriker did 

 not record these birds until they began to sing in March. In my 

 own observations, attention was drawn to them at the same period by 



88 Designated by van Tyne and Trautman, Occ. Papers Mus. Zool. Univ. Michigan, No. 439, 

 July 1, 1941, p. 10. 



