﻿VENEZUELAN ORNITHOLOGY — FRIEDMANN AND SMITH 433 



with as many as 20 individuals in view at one time, and was commonly- 

 seen hunting lizards on the dry open savanna, far from surface water. 



Though lacking definite evidence, the collector thinks it probable that 

 this bird bred within the study area, the year-round presence and 

 relative abundance tending to substantiate the belief. Nevertheless, 

 it was noted that the bird became relatively rare in the study area 

 during September, October, and November, although abundant near 

 Barcelona (Anzodtegui), suggesting the possibility of a withdrawal 

 to the coast to nest. 



The call note was a harsh caw-ca, accented on the first syllable, or 

 a rasping ca-aa-a-uw. 



LEUCOPHOYX THULA THULA (Molina) 



Ardea thula Molina, Saggio suUa naturale del storia Chili, 1782, p. 235 (Chile). 



SPECIMEN COLLECTED 



1 unsexed, Cantaura, February 23, 1948; gonads small; iris yellow, facial skin 

 yellow, bill black with base of lower mandible light blue-gray, tarsi black in 

 front, dull pea green in back, feet yellow-green, gizzard contained insects; dorsal 

 plumes present in this nonbreeding bird. 



This heron was found in all types of habitat wherever there was 

 open surface water. It was not common and was rarely encountered 

 except as single birds, although a flock of 20 remained at Cantaura 

 for several days during February 1949. The bird was recorded in the 

 study area during February, May, June, and July. 



Local name, "garza blanca," white heron. 



SYRIGMA SIBILATRIX FOSTEESMITHI Friedmann 



Syrigma sibilatrix fostersmithi Friedmann, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. Ill, 

 No. 9, 1949, p. 1 (Caicara, Monagas, Venezuela). 



SPECIMEN COLLECTED 



Icf, Caicara, July 24, 1948; gonads not enlarged; iris very pale yellow, feet 

 and tip of bill black, rest of bill bright red, facial skin bright blue. 



This specimen, the only one collected, is the type of its race. As 

 stated in the original description, it is similar to the nominate sub- 

 species but has the upper wing coverts between chamois and honey 

 yellow, not dull pinkish cinnamon as in sibilatrix, and has the median 

 dusky streaks on these feathers narrower; it also differs from southern 

 typical birds in having the neck and breast light honey yellow instead 

 of light buffy-olive, in having the crown slate color (instead of blackish 

 slate), and in having a longer bill, the culmen from the base measuring 

 74. 1 mm. (66-71 mm. in sibilatrix). It is known only from Venezuela 

 in the valleys of the Orinoco and Apure Rivers to Caicara, and it is 

 separated from the nominate race by the great forested area of 

 Amazonia. (Typical sibilatrix occurs from southern Brazil to Uru- 

 guay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and northern Argentina.) 



