Peten Loviands.--Because of its location and individuality, this region is 
discussed separately from the other Caribbean lowlands. Many of its birds and Bannal s 
are restricted in distribution to the Tucatdn peninsula, so occur only in this one 
Department of the Republic. 
Lake Petén and the town of Flores comprise the population center of the region. 
Poptén is the principal town in the southeastern part of the Petén. 
Hunting is done by residents of the towns and villages, by the more isolated 
settlers and by the chicle gatherers (chicleros). The principal game birds sought are 
curassows (pajuiles), guans (pavas), ocellated turkeys, tinamous, chachalacas, and quail. 
The commercial bhanting of crocodiles is important in this sector. 
ribb ive of the P «—~Because of the small human popula- 
tion in this region, there i. relatively little hunting of game birds. The most hunting, 
outside of the Petén, is done on the lower Motagua River, especially below Quirigud. 
Hunters there usually are in search of deer, wild pigs, or other game mammals, but com 
bine with this sport the shooting of curassows (pajuiles), guans (pavas), chachalacas, 
tinamous, ducks, pigeons, doves, and other birds. 
In the future, if the Lake Izabal area is developed as a tourist center, 
Decause of its scenic attractions and fine fishing, the good hunting there will also be 
important. 
Game Birds and Shorebdirds 
The birds of the Republic which should be classed as game are those which are 
sufficiently large and well flavored to be of value as food, and sufficiently numerous and 
widely distributed to be in no danger of extermination. Those which are considered to be 
more valuable for other economic purposes shovld not be classed as game. 
In the following detailed list of some of the birds of Guatemala, not all are 
game species to be hunted. The shorebirds, for example, because of their scarcity or small. 
size, are not to be considered as game birds. They should have full legal protection. 
The majority of the birds of the Republic are not discussed in detail in this 
report, for they are not game species. Their great value as destroyers of insect pests and 
their other useful characteristics fully justify their complete protection by law the year- 
round. 
Persons who desire information on these non-game species of birds of the Republic 
should consult the liet of references at the end of this report. Unfortunately, there are 
no fullyillustrated books on the birds of Guatemala or adjacent countries, but some of the 
common species of the Republic are described in a book on the birds of PanamA by Sturgis. 
The famous books of Salvin and Godman on the biology of Mexico and Central America, includ- 
ing four on birds, are in the collection at the Biblioteca Nacional in Guatemala City. 
Species which are migratory, breeding in the United States of America or farther 
north and migrating to Latin America for the winter, have been illustrated in a number of 
publications, some of which are listed in the references at the end of this report. 
For persons who may be particularly interested in these bird migrants from the 
north, some of the publications available from the United States Government Printing Office 
in Washington, D. C., will be helpful. 
In the United States, Canada, and Mexico, most of the migratory species are pro- 
tected by international treaties between these nations. These treaties are for the purpose 
of securing international cooperation and coordination in the protection of migratory birds, 
rather than to leave it as an individual responsibility of each of the many states and 
provinces of these countries, some of which, through lack of understanding of the problem, 
might fail to pass adequate protective legislation. Such national and international 
protection is especially important for migratory game birds like the ducks, Wilson'smipe, 
and mourning dove, which cross many of the smaller political divisions, such as states and 
provinces, in their migrations. Soms of these migratory game birds journey southward to 
Guatemala and even farther each winter. 
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