204 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM Vol.87 



markings were very pale. At dawn on November 12 at the Hotel 

 La Barraca in Maracay several flew about the large patio. 



Family MICROPODIDAE 



CHAETURA BRACHYUKA (Jardine) 



Acanthylis brachyura Jardine, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. 18, Aug. 1846, p. 120 

 (Tobago) . 



In Tropical America swifts are tantalizing birds usually seen out 

 of range, so that it was with keen interest that on October 28 near 

 Ocumare de la Costa I found a dozen short-tailed swifts circling 

 rapidly over an open pasture just above the scattered trees, and I 

 secured one of them. While I was searching for this bird in thick 

 grass the others disappeared. On November 4 at Rancho Grande 

 several circled out of range. This species appears very black as it 

 flies overhead, so that at first glance it suggests the black swift (Nephoe- 

 cetes niger), but a second look distinguishes it by the shorter, light- 

 colored tail. The specimen taken, a male, measures as follows: 

 Wing 118.7, tail 29.0, culmen from base 5.8, tarsus 11.8 mm. 



STREPTOPROCNE ZONARIS ALBICINCTA (Cabanis) 



Hemiprocne albicinda Cabanis, Jouru. fiir Oru., 1862, p. 165 (Guiana). 



While I was collecting in El Portachuelo above Rancho Grande on 

 November 3, 6, and 10, groups of these large swifts dashed at intervals 

 through the pass at lightning speed with a great rushing of wings. 

 Occasionally I observed them circling high in air. 



Family TROCHILIDAE 



PHOETHORNIS AUGUSTI (Boarder) 



Trochilus augusti Botircier, Ann. Sci. Phys. Nat. Agric. Ind,, Lyon, vol. 10, 1847, 

 p. 623 (Caracas, Verezuela). 



On the south slope of the mountains at 3,000 feet elevation near 

 Rancho Grande I saw several of these large hummers on November 

 9 and collected two females. The first one was in a deeply shaded 

 ravine, where it flew up to hover in the air directly in front of me and 

 only 4 or 5 feet away for a minute or more apparently attracted by 

 the openings in the end of my double-barreled gun. As it turned from 

 side to side the long median tail feathers were opened widely scissors- 

 fashion, but when the bird poised they remained together. Another 

 was taken gleaning at flowers. In life the basal three-fourths of the 

 mandible was light red; rest of bill black; tarsus and toes flesh color; 

 nails black. 



While easily confused in the field with the closely allied Phoethornu 

 a. anthophilus, the form of the tail readily distinguishes the two. In 



