58 



shifted from the hunting inventory to completing other aspects of the project. Two, it became apparent 

 that several hunters were taking these species in order to participate in the study. Three, while 

 frequendy taken, these species were of limited value for subsistence purposes, compared with die other 

 game species, due to dieir small body weight. 



Number of Species and Individuals 



Animals usually were examined fresh and whole. Animals were identified, weighed, and 

 measured according to standard field procedures. Scales wiUi different capacities and graduations were 

 used to weigh the animals; however, the weights presented here have been rounded off to 0.1 kg. 

 Hunters were queried about Uie details of the hunt during formal interviews (Appendix D). Interviews 

 usually lasted about 15 min and were conducted either at the field station or die home of die hunter. 

 The primary game identification guides were Leopold (1977) and Peterson and Chalif (1973). 



Sex of Game Species 



The sex of an animal was determined primarily based on a visual examination of the carcass, 

 but internal organs also were frequently examined, especially for mammals. The sexing of birds in die 

 field was more difficult dian sexing mammals, but each species had certain identifying characteristics. 

 For the great curassow (Crax rubra [Cracidae]), plumage coloration was used as males are black, while 

 females are reddish-brown (Peterson and Chalif, 1973). For die ocellated turkey (Agriocharis ocellata 

 [Meleagridae]), die presence of leg spurs was used to identify males (Leopold, 1977). For the plain 

 chachalaca, die shape and lengdi of the trachea was used. In male chachalacas, die trachea forms a 

 comparatively long loop that extends over the lower abdomen, while in females the loop is short 

 (Delacour and Amadon, 1973). Sexual identification of the diicket unamou (Crypturellus cinnamomeus 

 [Tinamidae]) was based on examination of internal organs by museum specialists at die Universidad 

 Nacional Aut6noma de Mexico as die sexes are similar in size and plumage. 



