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PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Though the principal aim was to estabhsh an accurate checklist of 

 the birds of the region, necessitating the use of all available spare 

 time for the taking of specimens, an attempt was made to take careful 

 notes, particularly regarding breeding data and numbers. This 

 information is given with the notes on each species collected. Never- 

 theless, a simimarization of the breeding data, however incomplete, 

 is of interest. As will be seen from figure 49, April through July are 

 the months in which the greatest number of species were recorded as 

 breeding. Secondary evidence, such as birds with nesting material 

 or feeding young, was considered sufficient. Little evidence of two 

 separate breeding seasons was noted. Nevertheless, the notes on 

 some of the commonest species, with easily located nests, do suggest 

 tiiat possibility (table 1). 



Table 1. — Breeding activity of some common species of northeastern Venezuelan 



birds 



The notes on the numbers of birds disclose great seasonal fluctua- 

 tions in some permanent resident species and seasonal absence from 

 the study area of other relatively common species, in addition to 

 migrants from North America. This marked seasonal fluctuation 

 can be the result only of movement to and from the area, which in 

 some cases appears to be an established migration, to judge from such 

 secondary evidence as deposition of fatty tissue as well as flock 

 formation and other changes in behavior. Attention is directed to 

 the notes on the following species: 



Vireo virescens vividior 



Cyclarhis gujanensis flavipectus 

 Sporophila bouvronides 

 Spinus psaltria colombianus 



Neocrex erythrops olivascens 

 Zenaidura auriculata stenura 

 Podager nacunda 



Myiodynastes maculatus maculatus 

 Muscivora tyrannus tryannus 



During the months of December 1948 through March 1949 record was 

 kept of the numbers and species of hawks seen from an automobile in 

 the vicinity of Cantaura. Though not so satisfactory as a census taken 



