I 



BIRDS OF I^ORTHERN VENEZUELA — ^WETMORE 213 



buffy coloration and heavier barring of the under surface. A female 

 in the National Museum from San Juiidn, a short distance east of 

 La Guaira, seems also to show this intermediate character. It may be 

 noted that this specimen and the one from Los Riitos come from the 

 north slope of the coastal mountains. Birds from the ]\ierida region 

 in Venezuela and from the mountains of the Santa Marta region m 

 Colombia are typical malhcrhii, while skins from Fundacion and from 

 Los Fendales, Atlantico, in Colombia are somewhat intermediate but 

 are to be called malherbii. 



CENTURUS RUBRICAPILLUS RUBRICAPILLUS Cabanis 



Centurus rubricapillus Cabanis, Journ. fiir Orn., 1862, p. 328 (Barranqu'lla, 

 Colombia) . 



The first specimen was taken at La Providencia near Maracay on 

 October 21, and others were seen there on November 11. Near 

 Ocumare de la Costa they were common from October 23 to 30 and 

 were found in a variety of situations from the large cacti growing over 

 the arid hills or isolated trees in fields and pastures to the tall, rather 

 dense groves of trees used as shade over the cacao plantations. Near 

 El Sombrero they were recorded from November 14 to 21. My 

 attention was usually attracted to them bj^ their shrill, chattering calls. 

 Four specimens taken come from the three localities mentioned. 



After comparison of a considerable series I find it difficult to dis- 

 tinguish races in these birds except for the very distinct seductus found 

 on San Miguel Island in the bay of Panama. In general, in birds 

 from Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad, and Tobago the male has the 

 light frontal band between the red of the crown and the base of the bill 

 averaging \\ider. In some there is also a gray band across the back 

 of the pileum separating the red of the crown from that of the nape. 

 Both sexes have the white markings on the tail usually less extensive. 

 This is typical rubricapillus. 



.Specimens from Panama and Costa Rica have the light frontal band 

 in the male averaging narrower, and the red of the crown always 

 unbroken. In both sexes the white markings on the tail are usually 

 more extensive. If these are recognized as distinct they wdll bear the 

 name wagleri. 



There is much individual variation among them, so that the char- 

 acters given hold for only a part of the specimens from either area. 



CHRYSOPTILUS PUNCTIGULA PUNCTIPECTUS Cabanis and Heine 



Chrysoptilus puncHpectus Cabanis and Hkine, Museum Heineanum, pt. 4, 1863, 

 p. 163 (Venezuela). 



Near El Sombrero these woodpeckers were found regularly from 

 November 14 to 20, working over open branches in the trees. A male 



