in the natural hollow of a thick foliaged tree 
eee sata a pinta ee The cavity was about two feet deep and one foot in 
dia tet nearly round and with the bottom covered with fine, soft chips, evidently 
pulled or vicked from the walle. There was a fair amount of down ae Setar 
ly deserted. Many old sites, from which at one time or another eggs een 
See cen Usually they were over three feet deep and to get 
were examined. 
eee cases tented had been chopped out of the sides of the trunks, thereby ruining 
the nests for further occupancy. Some down is always present, according to Morales, 
many . Do young only a short tine out of the nest were 
eee ere peer a teeet 1925. fhere were. about a dozen in the brood, but 
d at Lake Olomega on September 9, 
eae scattered into the marsh growth so rapidly and hid themselves so well that only one 
d. 
could be ae pecupied neste were found, but we were shown several dead stubs and also 
a where eggs were said to have been taken 
livi trees in the forest at Lake Olomeg 
ite lace natural cavities at some distance (up to 50 feet) from the ground. Females 
taken in January, February, and April were not breeding." (Dickey and van Rossen. ) 
9. Cairina moschata (Linnaeus ) 
Muscovy Duck 
Guatemalan: pato real, pato grande 
Englieh: black duck, muscovy 
dent since it has been 
Status.--This muscovy duck is apparently a scarce and local resi 
araarrek only in swamp forests near Océs. It is probably also vresent on the lower 
reaches of other. rivers on the Pacific coastal plain. 
Description.—Adult male. A very large duck (length, 815 mm, tail, 230 mm.) with head, 
neck, and underparts brownish black, upper parte glossy greenish black; wing coverts 
extensively white; bill pink, with bare skin at base red. 
‘Adult female.--Much smaller than male (length, 610 mm., tail, 140 mn.). 
Measurements.-- 
Male Female 
Length, 762-815 Length, 610 (about) 
Wing, 368 or more Wing, 317.5 
Tarsus, 572 
Culmen, 63.5 
General Distribution.--México (Mazatl4n and central Tamaulipas) south through Central 
America and South America to the coast of Perfi on the west end to La Plata estuary in the 
east; casual to the Rfo Negro, Argentina. 
Distribution in Guatemala.--Tropical Zone, in waters of the coastal plains, chiefly along 
wooded streams. 
Records.--Rfo Samal4 near Playa Grande, January 31, 1947: RLo Tilapa near Océs, January 31, 
1947; Rio Nahualate near the coast, February 11, 1947; near Champerico, February 11, 1947; 
Rio Salinas, southwest of Sayaxché, January 30, 1947. 
In literature this species has been recorded from: Lake of Petén, Huamachal , 
Chiapam, Santana Mixthn (Salvin and Godman); Naranjo (Lantz): Hacienda California (Griscom). 
Habits and Hunting.--The following notes on this species in El Salvador are also appli- 
cable to Guatemala: 
"The degenerate domestic varieties of the Muscovy duck fail utterly to convey an 
idea of the bird in its wild state. In ite native environment of flooded forest it is as 
trim and graceful as a Canada goose, whether rising with powerful wing-beats from its 
feeding marsh or winnowing in and out among the trees. During the hotter parts of the day 
these ducks spend most of their time perched, in pairs or small flocks, on horizontal 
branches of large trees in the jungle, a location for which their sharp, curved claws are 
perfectly adapted. The great white shoulder patches, instead of blending in with the light 
and shade of the surroundings, stand out with startling clearness and often lead to dis- 
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