﻿VENEZUELAN ORNITHOLOGY — FRIEDJVL^NN AND SMITH 431 

 SPECIMEN COLLECTED 



1 9 , Cantaura, March 2, 1946; gonads enlarged; iris brown, tarsi, toes, and bill 

 blue-gray, eye ring bright blue; plumage somewhat abraded, the long feathers of 

 the lower throat and breast heavily suffused with ochraceous-bufTy. 



This small heron was found exclusively in singles or in pairs by the 

 small pools in or at the edge of the dry woods or the stands of "mor- 

 iche" palms in the savannas around Cantaura, presumably feeding 

 on the tadpoles abundant there during the wet season. In life it 

 closely resembled the black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycti- 

 corax hoactli) of the United States, both in flight and when standing 

 in the hunched-over manner typical of the latter bird. It is a quiet 

 bird. The collector seldom heard it utter a note, although it v/as 

 fairly common in suitable localities around Cantaura. When flushed 

 it sometimes made a short croaking noise. 



The local name, "garza," is applied indiscriminately to all herons. 



BUTORroES STRIATUS STKIATUS (Linnaeus) 



Ardea striata Linnaeus, Systema naturae, ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 144 (Surinam). 



SPECIMENS COLLECTED 



1 (f, Caicara, November 12, 1947; gonads small; iris bright yellow, bill black 

 with lower edge of mandible dull yellow, facial skin yellow above, black below, 

 feet dull yellow green; gizzard contained small fish. 



1 intm. cT, Boca de Tigre, February 8, 1948, gonads small; iris yellow, stripe 

 in front of eye yellow-green, bill black with underpart dull ochre, feet dull green. 



The preferred habitat of this heron is the lowland seasonal forest. 

 It was not recorded at the savanna ponds, and it was rare at the ponds 

 of the deciduous seasonal woods. The bird was encountered in 

 singles or pairs at suitable localities. Possibly owing to its local 

 distribution it was recorded only during the months of April through 

 July, September, and November. 



A female examined during the first week of April at Cantaura was 

 in breeding condition, with large eggs almost ready to be laid. 



The call note was a loud keeovj, similar to that of the eastern green 

 heron (Butorides v. virescens) of North America. 



Local name, "garza." 



FLORroA CAERULEA CAERULESCENS (Latham) 



Ardea caerulescens Latham, Index ornithologicus, vol. 2, 1790, p. 690 (Cayenne). 



SPECIMEN COLLECTED 



1 9, Cantaura, September 20, 1947; gonads small; iris ivory white, bill dull 

 blue-green shading to black, facial skin and feet dull green; gizzard contained 

 aquatic insects, both larvae and adults; a young bird in wholly white plumage 

 except for a slate-blue w^ash on head and tips of primaries. 



This heron was encountered in all locations where there was suffi- 

 cient water; apparently the nature of the surrounding vegetation had 



