Tlacotalpan. 
The bird fauna around Tlacotalpan proved to he quite different in 
many respects to that of Tres Zapote s,due largely the entire absence 
there of forest,or even heavy woodland,the vegetation consisting largely 
of thorn -scrub,shrubbery and bushes,while ponds and shallow lagoons 
abounded,as well as lange areas of pasture land. 
The higher,drier land,mostly near the river,is largely planted with 
sugarcane,where bird life is almost non—exister*-,while most areas uoo iffl 
low and wet for cane have been converted into "potreros" . The existing 
woodland,thor scrub,etc. is found exclusively in the areas bordering 
the ponds and lagoons,with considerable tracts of marshy meadows lying 
between this scrub and the water. 
The number of species of land birds there was not large,but many 
forms were quite abundant(see field notes under each species). 
Aquatic and semi-aquatic forms were,naturally in abundance,especially 
But or id e s, Ag e la ius, Jacan a,Fu1ic a americana,several migrant Ducks, 
both White herons and several migrant Shorebirds. Postliramus and 
Urubitinga,also Puteo ruficauda,were common around the lagoons,while. 
Phalacrocorax abounded in the river. In February there were many Pelican^ 
both on the river and in the larger lagoons,both the White and Brown, 
but in Way they seemed to have largely dissapeared. A single Roseate 
Spoonbill" was seen betvmen Tlacotalpan and La -oca de S a n Wiguel on 
May 1st. . .. _ . 
Two species of Tern were seen there,a larger form with yellow oi±±, 
and a smaller one with black bill. The latter was shot but could not 
be preserved,on account of the attack oi dysintery which 1 suffered 
while there in Way. . . . , 
I think that practically all of the land birds found m trie vicinity 
were taken, but quite a number of the aouatic iorms and Snore^Birds 
were not collected,some intentionally,others not,the latler^oue largely 
to tbe unfortunate attack of dysintery which I suffered last week I 
spent there in Way,at which time I had planned to secure these forms. 
Conejo . 
The specimens labelled as from '’Gone jo” ,were taken in the high 
sand-dune ridge which borders the coast from the region of Alvarado 
eastward for a long distance. _ 
These ancient sand dunes form a low,broken range of hills,at least 
a mile in width and with an averave of probably about BOO feet in 
height. Apparently these hills were,at some previous time,completely 
covered with low woodland,much of which still remains in scattered 
areas,while the remainder has been cleard ana. now supports a thick 
growth of short grass,used for pasture. A scant top. soil has been 
formed,fairly thick in the depressions,but very thin on the slopes. 
As often happens in such a habitat,birds were abundant,but the 
number of species not great. 
A few species were taken there which were not seen at any other 
place,the most outstanding being two species of 1 imus(one a migrant, 
the other a resident );Scardafella inca;Lark Sparrow;Grasshopper 
Sparrow. Icterus prosthmelas was more abundant there than at any 
other place visited,also Thraupis episcopus. A ''ighthawk was seen i-here 
in May(two birds),one vms shot but escaped wounded. 
Also quite a number of species were taken or observed there v/nich 
were absent from Tlacotalpan,undoubtably due to the nature of the 
terrain and more abundant and distinctive flora. I believe that fui taer 
work in this region would have yielded additional species,more espec¬ 
ially North American migrants. 
