Mar., 1910 
A GLIMPSE OF BIRD LIFE ON THE WEST COAST OF MEXICO 
77 
taris) , a bird always in evidence by its loud cries. The Macaws usually go in pairs 
and when flying keep up a regular, frequent and very loud call that sounds like the 
word wall-call, with the accent on the last syllable, repeated two or three times, 
and hence receives the name of Waca by the natives. The Mexican Double-yellow- 
headed Parrot ( Amazona oratrix ) we did not see on the mainland but it occurs 
commonly on the Tres Marias Islands. The natives have many in captivity and 
they are said to be the best talkers of the Mexican parrots. The parrots nest in 
holes, usually cocoanut trees. On May 10 a Mexican boy brought me two young 
White-fronted Parrots about two days old. He said two were all that were in the 
nest. A few days later a boy brought us four young Red-and-blue-headed Para- 
keets all of which he said came out of the same nest in an old ants’ nest. Of these 
young I successfully raised one parrot and Mr. Osburn one parakeet. They were 
fed on mashed ground corn while we were in Mexico but on reaching home their 
diet was changed to the more modern Cream of Wheat and they seemed to thrive 
on it. The Parakeets make their nests in deserted ants’ nests. These nests are 
great globular masses more or less round, composed of what appeared to be chewed 
up wood cemented together. The Parakeets bore into this and make a cavity near 
the center. I flusht a bird from one but upon digging it out found no evidence of 
a nest lining. 
The Mexican Cacique, a black and yellow oriole wflth a crested head, and about 
the size of a California Jay, is very common and its inimitable call is one of the 
familiar sounds. It builds a nest in shape like a California Bush-tit, tho from 
three to three feet and a half long usually situated at the end of a limb in a tree 
covered with thorns. I might say that I only made one attempt to climb such a 
tree. Where we were the Chachalaca ( Ortalis v$tula maccalli) was not common. One 
of these birds can make enough noise to shame a whole flock of Guinea Fowls. The 
first time I heard it I was in a dense growth of brush and to say that I was startled 
would be mild indeed. The night before a Mexican had told me that frequently a 
jaguar visited that tract. The San Bias Jay ( Cissilopha san-b/cisiana san-blasiana ) 
was a conspicuous bird of the open places, and the Long-tailed Blue Jay ( CaZocitta 
colZiei ) a very handsome bird, about two and a half feet in length, tho mostly tail, 
was rather common among the banana groves and ranches. 
The kingfishers, Texan ( CeryZe caban is/), Belted ( CeryZe aZcyon ) and Great 
Rufous-bellied ( CeryZe torquata) could all three be frequently seen at the same 
time, their favorite haunts being the running streams rather than the swamps. 
Their near relative the Mexican Motmot ( Momotus mexicanus ) was of an exceed- 
ingly retiring disposition, or else very rare, for often a whole day’s search in their 
favorite haunts would fail to reveal one. Citreoline Trogons ( Trogon citrcoZus ) 
and Coppery-tailed Trogons were birds more of the higher hills than where we 
were; however, three of the former and one of the latter were identified. At dusk 
Nighthawks ( Chordeiles acutipennis texensis ) commenced to flv and were very 
numerous. On May 14 I flusht a Parauque ( Nyctidromus aZbicoZlis ) from her nest 
containing one egg. The next day I went back to get the full set and the parent 
but both were gone; however, later, Mr. Osburn got two birds at San Bias. Hawks 
seemed to be particularly abundant and easy to secure. Audubon Caracaras seemed to 
be the most abundant, followed by the Mexican Black Hawk( Urubitinga anthracina ) , 
Harris Hawk ( Parabuteo unicinctus harrisi ) and Mexican Goshawk ( Asturina 
plagiata) . Owls could frequently be heard at night. Elegant Woodpeckers ( Cen - 
turns eZegans ) and Mexican Pileated Woodpeckers ( Ceophloeus scapuZaris ) could 
be seen on every trip to the groves, while of that woodpecker-like bird in habits, 
tho belonging to a different order, the Swainson Woodhewer {Dendroruis flavigas- 
