﻿434 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. lOO 



This heron was recorded during February, March, May, July, 

 August, September, and October but only at savanna ponds, generally 

 in groups of less than five individuals. The largest flock encountered 

 consisted of 10 birds. 



The call note was a high kee-kee-kee, rapidly repeated, quite unlike 

 the calls of other herons in the study area. 



Local name, "garza" (applied indiscriminately to aU herons.) 



NYCTICORAX NYCTICORAX HOACTU (Gmelin) 



Ardea Hoactli Gmelin, Systema naturae, vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 630 ("in Novae 

 Hispaniae lacubus" = Valley of Mexico). 



SPECIMEN COLLECTED 



IcT, Cantaura, June 5, 1948; gonads small; iris red, feet, facial skin, and base 

 of mandible yellow-green, bill black. 



This heron was apparently rare or very local in distribution. 

 Several were seen at a savanna pond close to heavy deciduous woods, 

 and the present example was taken from this group. The bird was 

 not recorded elsewhere in the area. 



TIGRISOMA UNEATUM UNEATUM (Boddaert) 



Ardea Lineatus Boddaert, Table des planches enlumin^ez, 1783, p. 52 (Cayenne, 

 ex Daubenton, Planches enluminees, pi. 860). 



SPECIMEN collected 



1 9, Cantaura, March 30, 1948; gonads greatly enlarged (small yolks); iris 

 dull orange, facial skin lemon-yellow, bill black with underside of mandible grayish, 

 feet dull black v.dth greenish tinge; plumage fairly fresh. 



This heron was found only in the strands of large trees bordering the 

 permanent brook just south of Cantaura, and four or five individuals 

 were encountered in that small area during March and April of 1948 

 and 1949. It was often found perched quietly about 20 to 30 feet 

 up in a tree. Wlien approached the bird customarily extends its neck 

 straight out, compressing all its feathers. Upon flushing, it utters 

 the call note, a loud explosive hao. It is also prone to raise the red- 

 brown neck hacldes. 



Local name, "bacao," in imitation of the caU note. 



Family CICONIIDAE: Storks 



MYCTERIA AMERICANA Linnaeus 



Mycteria americana Linnaeus, Systema naturae, ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 140 

 ("America calidiore" = Brazil, from first citation). 



specimen collected 



1 9 , Kilometer 52, M. G. 0. Road Barcelona, San Tom6, March 7, 1948; gonads 

 small (juv.?); iris brown, bill small (180 mm.) and dull pink, feet and upper tarsi 



