﻿VENEZUELAN ORNITHOLOGY — FRIEDMANN AND SMITH 453 



served nesting during the months of January through April, generally 

 in hollowed-out termite nests. One nest examined contained a clutch 

 of three eggs, placed directly on the floor of the nest cavity. 



These hawks were repeatedly observed catching insects, in addition 

 to small lizards about 5 inches long, which were common in the habitat. 



The call note of this little falcon, a high killy-killy-killy, was not 

 noticeably different from that of the Falco sparverius sparverius of the 

 Eastern United States. 



Local name, "gavilan primito." 



Family CRACIDAE: Guans 



ORTALIS RUFICAUDA(Jardine) 



Ortalida ruficauda Jardine, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. 20, 1847, p. 374 (Tobago). 



SPECIMEN COLLECTED 



19 (?), Cantaura, February 12, 1946; iris brown, eye ring dull blue-black, bare 

 skin of throat pale dull red; plumage worn. 



This species appears to be very closely allied to, perhaps conspecific 

 with, Ortalis vetula. 



This guan was common both in the dry woods around Cantaura and 

 in the wet woods at Caicara. Though it showed preference for localities 

 near water it was not closely limited to such places. It was generally 

 found in flocks of 6 to 8, although the collector saw flocks of more than 

 50 birds around Cantaura; it was noted in every month of the year. 

 A chick of this species, with the egg-tooth still on its bill, was seen 

 during the last week of June. Half-grown young were recorded during 

 July- 

 Gizzards examined invariably contained leaves, tender shoots, fruits, 

 and berries. While the bird was primarily arboreal, it was also seen 

 occasionally feeding on the ground. 



The local name, "guacharaca," is in imitation of the bird's call, a 

 loud, unmelodious, but unmistakable call, generally given early in the 

 morning. The members of the flock also keep in contact with one 

 another by means of a soft peeping call. 



Family PHASIANIDAE: Pheasants, Quail, and their Aflies 



COLINUS CRISTATUS MOCQUERYSI (Hartert) 



Eupsychortyx mocquerysi Hartert, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 3, 1894, p. xxxvii 

 (Cumand, Dept. Sucr6, Venezuela). 



SPECIMENS COLLECTED 



1 d^, 1 9 , Cantaura, February 17-19, 1946; gonads of male not enlarged, of 

 female slightly enlarged; iris dark brown in both. 



These specimens constitute an interesting extension of the known 

 range of this quad. According to Gilliard (Amer. Mus. Nov., No. 



