J 92 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM Vol. 87 



Family CHARADRIIDAE 



BELONOPTERUS CHILENSIS CAYENNENSIS (Gnielin) 



Parra cayennensis Gmelin, Systema naturae, vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 706 (Cayenne). 



Near El Sombrero these handsome plovers, known as alcaravan, 

 were found in small nmnbers on the open prairies or along the gravel 

 bars of the Rio Guarico. They ranged in pairs and were rather wild, 

 so that they usually kept out of gun range. When I shot one, three or 

 four came flying over and circled around me much disturbed. One 

 evening I heard the notes of this species from birds passing overhead 

 in the darkness shortly after sunset. 



The female taken is typical of its race, having the black Une of the 

 throat narrowed and interrupted below by gray so that it does not 

 connect with the black of the breast. It has the following measure- 

 ments: Wing 222,0, tail 92.8, culmen from base 30.3, tarsus 73.8. 



HOPLOXYPTEBUS CAYANUS (Latham) 

 Charadrius cayanus Latham, Index ornithologicus, vol. 2, 1790, p. 749 (Cayenne). 



About the lagoon at Independencia below Ocumare de la Costa 

 I found this bird on several occasions. At noon on October 27 as I 

 looked out across the water my eye caught the beautifully contrasted 

 black and light markings of one as it walked quickly and alertly across 

 the short-cropped turf. As I approached it flew when I could only 

 admire its pleasing color pattern, as grazing burros everywhere in the 

 background prevented a shot. A few moments later, however, I 

 secured it as it flew again, to find that it was a male. The feet and 

 margin of the eyelids in life were brilliant orange-scarlet. One of the 

 wing spurs was aborted. The following day I observed another at 

 the edge of the water and watched as it walked quickly for a few 

 steps, paused with a graceful swing of its body, and then walked 

 again. Two were seen on October 29 and one on October 31. 



At El Sombrero I found this bird along the Rio Guarico and heard 

 its call, a low-toned, mellow whistle. 



As this plover has been supposed to range in Venezuela mainly in 

 the Orinoco Basin, its occurrence on the north coast is of particular 

 interest. 



PAGOLLA WILSONIA CINNAMOMINA Eidgway 



Pagolla wilsonia cinnamomina Ridgway, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull, 50, pt. 8, 1919, 

 pp. 108, 113 (Sabanllla, Colombia). 



One was recorded with other shorebtrds at the lagoon near the 

 beach below Ocumare de la Costa, October 25 and 26. Allocation to 

 subspecies is made on geographic grounds, as the bird was not 

 collected. 



