﻿VENEZUELAN ORNITHOLOGY — FRIEDMANN AND SMITH 417 



Senegalia tamarindifolia Godmania aesculifolia 



Pereskia guamacho Casearia decandra 



Fagara caribaea Lonchocarpus sericeus 



Birds characteristic of this habitat are: 



Parabuteo unicinctus unicinctus Suhlegatus glaber orinocensis 



Gampsonyx swainsonii leonae Polioplila plumbea plumbiceps 



Scardafella squammata ridgwayi Icterus nigrogularis 



Aratinga pertinax margaritensis Saltaior orenocensis 



(Haucidium brasiUanum phaloenoides Sporophila intermedia 



Caprimulgus cayennensis cayennensis Coryphospingus pileatus brevicaudus 



Centurus rubricapillus rubricapillus Euscarthmus meloryphus meloryphus 



Though the lowland seasonal forest within the area varies consider- 

 ably, it is generally composed of trees averaging over 50 feet, and in 

 places approaching or perhaps exceeding 100 feet in height. An 

 estimated 35 percent of the trees comprising this forest are non- 

 deciduous. The forest floor is often rather bare, although in places 

 it is covered to such an extent that it becomes necessary to cut trails. 

 Vines are conunon; arboreal epiphytes common, but not abundant; 

 cactus is absent; heliconias are present locally; palms are apparently 

 confined to chaguaramo {Roystonea regia) and corozo (Acrocomia sp.). 



Some trees typical of this forest are identified (no specimens taken) 

 as follows by the junior author: 



Apomate (Tecoma pentaphylla) Merecure (^Couepia guianensis) 



Cuajo {Virola venezuelensia) Muco (Couropita guianensis) 



Jabillo {Hura crepitans) 



Birds characteristic of this habitat are: 



Chondrohierax uncinatus uncinatus Trogon strigilatus slrigilatus 



Ictinea plumbea Galbula rvficauda ruficauda 



Elano'ides forficatus yetapa Ramphastos monilis 



Claravis pretiosa Campylorhampus trochilirostris ^venezue- 



Ara ararauna lensis 



Crotophaga ma;,or Chiroxiphia lanceolata 



Phaethornis anthophihis anthophilui> Xanthornus decumanus decumanus 



Glaucis hirsuta hirsuta 



The climate of the study area is definitely tropical, rather than 

 subtropical, in nature. The temperature varies Httle from day to 

 day or from year to year. Throughout the year the average daily 

 temperatures as recorded at Guario (Cantaura), Jusepin (Caicara), 

 and San Tome range between approximately 70° F. minimimi and 

 90° F. maxunum. At Guario, over an 8-year period, the lowest tem- 

 perature recorded was 55° F. and the highest was 101° F. At San 

 Tom6, over a 10-year period, the low^est temperature recorded was 

 62° F. and the highest temperature recorded was 98° F. 



Rainfall is light within the area, averaging about 47 inches an- 

 nually, of which approximately 90 percent occurs during the months 

 of May through November (fig. 47). Although there is very little 

 variation in temperature, the monthly, as well as the total yearly, 



