VENEZUELAN ORNITHOLOGY — FRIEDMANN AND SMITH 515 



Small flocks of less than 10 individuals were observed in marshes 

 at Quu'iquire, Monagas, and between Barcelona and San Mateo, 

 Anzodtegui. There are no suitable marshes around Cantaura or 

 Caicara. 



Family Thraupidae: Tanagers 



Tanagra laniirostris crassirostris (Sclater) 



Euphonia crassirostris Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, vol. 24 (1856), 1857, 

 p. 277 (New Grenada, Bogotd). 

 1 d', Caicara, May 26, 1952; gonads enlarged; iris dark; feet black; bill black 

 with base of mandible dull dark blue; gizzard contained very fine seeds (grass? 

 or grains of pollen?), no mistletoe. 



Previously recorded by us as apparently uncommon, this bird 

 has been found subsequently to be quite common in the deciduous 

 seasonal woods at Caicara. At Cantaura it was also present, but 

 much less numerous. Its high whistled calls are very similar to 

 those of Tanagra chlorotica trinitatis, and the two species are generally 

 quite difficult to distinguish in the field. 



A nest of this tanager was found at Caicara on April 25. It was a 

 domed affair of fine twigs, placed about 6 feet up on the top of a 

 fence post, a timber about 8 inches in diameter which had become 

 sufficiently hollowed to allow the bird to build the nest on top. The 

 bird was observed closely, for it remained in the immediate vicinity 

 of the nest uttering its high whistled feen feen notes in protest. 

 This is not the first time the collector has seen such nests in similar 

 positions. 



Ramphocelus carbo capitalis Allen 



Ramphocoelus airosericeus capitalis Allen, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., vol. 4, 

 1892, p. 51 (El Pilar, near Carupano, Sucre, Venezuela). 



1 cf , Caicara, May 15, 1952; gonads enlarged; iris red-brown; feet, maxilla, 

 and top of mandible black, the rest of mandible blue-white. 



Adult bird in somewhat worn plumage. 



The collecting of an adult male makes it possible to identify the 

 local population as definitely capitalis; in our 1950 report we were 

 unable to be so definite as our only example was a young female. 



This tanager was found only in or near the heavy lowland forest at 

 Caicara, where it was locally fairly common. 



Tachyphonus luctuosus luctuosus Lafresnaye and D'Orbigny 



Tachyphonus luctuosus Lafresnaye and D'Orbigny, Synopsis avium, pt. 1, in 

 Mag. de Zool., vol. 7, cl. 2, 1837, p. 29 (Guarayos, Bolivia). 

 1 9 , Caicara, May 15, 1952; gonads small, but brood patch evident; iris brown; 

 bill and feet dark blue-gray. 



