BIRDS OF NORTHERN VENEZUELA — WETMORE 245 



the typical form, since that is the race that has been reported from 

 northern South America. 



DENDROICA CERULEA (Wilwn): Cerulean Warbler 



Sylvia cerulea Wilson, American ornithology, vol. 2, 1810, p. 141, pi. 17, fig. 5 

 (Philadelphia, Pa.). 



At Rancho Grande in the early morning of November 4 a dozen 

 or more were feeding actively through the treetops at the house where 

 I was living. 



DENDROICA STRIATA (Forster): Black-poll Warbler 



Muscicapa striata J. R. Foester, Philos. Trans., vol. 62, 1772, p. 428 (Fort Severn, 

 west coast of Hudson Bay). 



At Ocumare de la Costa on October 25 I shot two of these migrant 

 warblers from the north as they fed in the tops of low trees in the 

 dry scrub. Accustomed for years to the layers of oily fat that cover 

 the bodies of black-polls as they pass south through the Eastern 

 United States in fall migration, it was a great surprise to find these two 

 thin to emaciation. The following day I saw one, and on October 27 

 observed several and collected another. Evidently they were arriv- 

 ing regularly from the north as I saw them constantly m a large 

 sea-grape tree on the beach near my porch as I worked on specimens 

 during the afternoon. As they became more common I sometimes 

 found little groups feeding on the ground on the open flats near the 

 lagoon at Independencia, at some distance from trees or bushes. 

 When I first noted them I thought they must be some other bird 

 and was much surprised to find that they were this species, ordinarily 

 restricted to trees. I was of the opinion that these ground-feeding 

 individuals had just arrived from the long flight over the sea as they 

 appeared quiet and listless. One or two that I handled were so thin 

 that there was noticeable shrinkage in the large muscles of the breast. 

 Four taken here at Ocumare were all adults and included birds of 

 both sexes. 



At Rancho Grande I recorded black-polls on November 5, 6, and 

 7, observing them up to 3,700 feet, and there can be no doubt that 

 they spread over the entire mountain. Birds taken here were in good 

 flesh though not fat, so that their recovery from the rigors of their 

 long journey apparently is rapid. At El Sombrero I noted them on 

 November 13 and 15. 



While under the International Code the name of this species will 

 become Dendroica breviunguis (Spix) as given by Hellmayr," I prefer 

 here to use the name Dendroica striata (Forster), since this is the name 

 that is current among North American ornithologists. The code of 



" Field Mus. Nat. Hist., zool. ser., vol. 13, pt. 8, 1935, p. 403. 



