﻿514 PROCEEDINGS OE THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. loo 



around Caicara, although the dry woods were very similar to those of 

 Cantaura, nor was the bird known to the residents there. 



These jays were usually encountered in roving flocks of 5 to 10 in- 

 dividuals. In flight and call the bu'd is typically jaylike, and the call 

 note, a loud peeow peeow, is frequently given. The local name, 

 "piarra," is in imitation of this call. 



XANTHOURA YNCAS CAERULEOCEPHALA (Dubois) 



Cyanocorax yncas var. caeruleocephala Dubois, Bull. Acad. Roy. Belgique, ser. 2, 

 vol. 38, 1874, p. 493 (Caracas. Venezuela). 



SPECIMENS COLIiECTED 



1 unsexed, Mundo Nuevo, near San Antonio de Maturfn, Monagas, February 

 1946. 



1 9 , Cantaura, May 25, 1947; gonads slightly enlarged; iris bright yellow; 

 gizzard contained small tree snails. 



Our examples of this jay are unfortunately not in very good plumage 

 condition. 



This striking jay was not encountered in the area during 1944, 1945, 

 or 1946. However, it was fairly common in the deciduous seasonal 

 forest at Cantaura during May and June 1947 and was generally seen 

 in small flocks of less than 10 individuals. Stragglers were recorded 

 in July of the same year, and again, on April 1, 1949, several were 

 encountered. These invasions occurred at the termination of the two 

 driest seasons recorded in nine years, at the very time when the woods 

 were most barren. This was particularly surprising to the collector, 

 who had known the bird previously only in the cool woods of the 

 mountains around Caracas. 



The commonest call was a jaylike keen-keen. 



The local name for this jay is given as "quin-quin," obviously a 

 variant spelling of the name "kinkin" recorded by Wetmore (Proc. 

 U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 87, 1939, p. 237). 



Family TROGLODYTIDAE: Wrens 



HELEODYTES MINOR MINOR Cabanis 

 Heleodytes minor Cabanis, Museum Heineanum, vol. 1, 1851, p. 80 (Venezuela). 



SPECIMEN COLLECTED 



1 9 , Cantaura, January 31, 1946; gonads slightly enlarged; iris reddish brown, 

 tarsi and toes light blue-gray; plumage worn. 



Cantaura appears to be about the easternmost locality from which 

 the lesser cactus wren has been recorded. It was known previously 

 from as far east as Caripe, Monagas. 



This species was fairly common locally in bushy places on the open 

 savanna, especially in the vicinity of savanna lagoons, both around 

 Caicara and Cantaura. It was noted that the bird was able to estab- 



