﻿VENEZUELAN ORNITHOLOGY — FRIEDMANN AND SMITH 485 



forehead, crown, occiput, and cheeks than the other, indicating the 

 sort of dichromatism so frequently present in members of this family. 



This small pauraque was exclusively a bird of the deciduous seasonal 

 woods edge, both at Cantaura and Caicara. It was recorded during 

 February, March, June, July, August, and September. Apparently 

 a silent bird, the only call recorded was a thin tic-tic, given when 

 flushed. 



Local name, "aguaitacamino." "Aguaita," probably of Carib 

 Amerind derivation, is used locally to signify "watch" or "look at." 

 "Camino" is "road" in Spanish. Hence, perhaps incorrectly, the 

 name "aguaitacamino" connotes, at least locally, "roadwatcher," as 

 these birds are seen along the road at night. 



Family APODIDAE: Swifts 



STREPTOPROCNE ZONARIS ALBICINCTA (Cabanis) 



Hemiprocne albicinda Cabanis, Journ. fiir Orn., vol. 10, 1862, p. 165 (Guiana to 

 Mexico) . 



SPECIMEN COLLECTED 



1 9 , Caicara, June 20, 1948; gonads slightly enlarged; iris brown; bill black, 

 feet blue-black; gizzard contained small insects; bird fat. An adult in good but 

 somewhat worn plumage. 



This large swift was rather common at Caicara, where it was found 

 over all types of habitat. It was recorded during March, April, June, 

 July, August, November, and December, at times in flocks of up to a 

 hundred individuals. The note of this swift, rarely heard, was a loud, 

 explosive cheeach. 



Local name, "golondrina," swallow; no distinction is made between 

 swifts and swallows. 



CHAETURA BRACHYURA BRACHYURA (Jardine) 



Acanihylis brachyura Jardine, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. 18, 1846, p. 120 (To- 

 bago) . 



SPECIMENS COLLECTED 



Icf, El Toro, about 40 km. west of Cantaura, March 18, 1949; gonads small; 

 skull well ossified; iris dark brown, bill and feet black; gizzard contained small 

 insects. 



2 cf, Caicara, April 18, 1949; gonads small in one, slightly enlarged in the other; 

 gizzard of one contained insects. 



These specimens are somewhat larger than a male from Ocumare 

 de la Costa, northern Venezuela; their wing lengths are 122-123.5 and 

 124.5 mm. against 117.5 mm. in the smaller, more northwestern ex- 

 ample. The Caicara and El Toro specimens are also slightly paler 

 on the rump and upper tail coverts. The two April birds are in molt. 



This swift was common at Caicara, often seen in flocks of more 

 than a hundred birds, while at Cantaura it was encountered only once, 

 in April. It was recorded during February, March, April, June, July, 



