BIRDS OF SOUTHERN VERACRUZ — WETMORE 321 



the stalks at an abrupt angle below the ears, so that these instead of 

 standing upright were turned down toward the ground and were 

 covered by the stalks above. Whole fields treated in this way 

 presented a curious appearance. The theory was that the ears were 

 thus hidden so that they were protected from damage by birds. 

 Before this, while grain was in the milky stage, men and boys went 

 out at dawn to the fields armed with slings and slingshots, or with 

 clods to be thrown by hand. They stood on small elevated platforms 

 of poles that gave them clear view across the corn, where by shouting 

 and by casting missiles they kept the birds moving and so prevented 

 damage. 



On April 12 early in the morning a flock passed traveling north, 

 and on April 14 three bands of 50 to 75 each traveled in the same 

 direction, with their wings making a loud rushing sound. As there 

 had been no indication for some time of morning and evening flight, 

 I was of the opinion that these were migrants bound for the more 

 northern parts of the breeding range. On April 15, on the morning 

 of our departure, I recorded one more group. 



The natives called this species fordo. Often as they rested in the 

 sun I noted the reddish -brown color of the eyes of these cowbirds. 



MOLOTHRUS ATER ATER (Boddaert) : Eastern Cowbird 



Oriolus ater Boddaert, Table des planches enlumineez, 1783, p. 37 (South Caro- 

 lina). 



The only one recorded is a female taken by Carriker at Tlacotal- 

 pam on February 16, 1940. This bird, here as a migrant, is repre- 

 sentative of the eastern race, having the following measurements: 

 Wing 101.4, tail 66.5, culmen from base 15, tarsus 26 mm. 



CASSIDIX MEXICANUS MEXICANUS (Gmelin) 



Corvus mexicanus Gmelin, Systema naturae, vol. 1, pt. 1, 1788, p. 375 (Veracruz, 

 Veracruz, Mexico 09 ). 



I shot a pair at Tres Zapotes on March 16, 1939, and Carriker se- 

 cured 3 males and 3 females at Tlacotalpam on February 8, 9, and 

 16, 1940. 



This is one of the conspicuous birds of the region. In Veracruz 

 City I found them in parks and along the boulevards, as well as in 

 the suburbs. In Alvarado they were common and familiar along the 

 waterfront street, and from Tlacotalpam to Boca San Miguel they 

 were seen constantly. During March at Tres Zapotes a number 

 occupied a roost near the village, so that there was regular morning 



69 Designated by G. ET. Lowery, Jr., Occ. Papers Mus. Zool. Louisiana State Univ., No. 1, 

 May 4, 1938, p. 4. 



