Part 5

Columbina talpacoti rufipennis (Bonaparte): Ruddy Ground Dove.--This dove was common at all localities visited. All specimens were in breeding condition.

Specimens (9): [Female], 40472, ova to 3 mm., 45.4 gm. (July 8), , 40468, testis 10 × 5 mm., 50.0 gm (July 8), , 40469, testis 10 × 5 mm., 65.5 gm. (July 8), [Female], 40470, ova to 3 mm., 51.6 gm. (July 8) and , 40471, testis 9 × 5 mm., 57.5 gm. (July 8), all from the vicinity of Puerto Real Isla del Carmen; [Female], 40467, 57.7 gm., (July 10), 5 km. S Chapotón; , 40473, testis 8 × 5 mm., 53.0 gm. (July 17), 1 km. N, 13 km. W Escárcega; [Female], 40465, ova to 21 mm., 51.8 gm. (July 28); Pueblo Nuevo X-can; , 40466, testis 8 × 4 mm., 46.6 gm. (August 16), 4 km. NNE Felipe Carrillo Puerto.

Claravis pretiosa (Ferrari-Perez): Blue Ground Dove.--This species was seen only at Pueblo Nuevo X-can where a breeding pair was taken on July 29; this record extends the known breeding season by one month (see Paynter, 1955b).

Specimens (2): , 40475, testis 10 × 5 mm., 65.0 gm. (July 29), and [Female], 40474, ova to 9 mm., 68.3 gm. (July 29), Pueblo Nuevo X-can.

Leptotila verreauxi fulviventris Lawrence: White-fronted Dove.--My only records of this species are the two specimens listed below. Both birds had slightly enlarged ovaries and the one from west of Escárcega was molting. Paynter (1955a) recorded breeding from late January to late April.

Specimens (2): [Female], 40476, ova to 2 mm., molting--5th and 6th primaries ensheathed (July 14), 7-1/2 km. W Escárcega; [Female], 40477, ovary 12 × 5 mm., 162 gm. (August 14), 4 km. NNE Felipe Carrillo Puerto.

Leptotila jamaicencis gaumeri (Lawrence): Caribbean Dove.--Two were collected on Isla Cozumel and the several white-fronted doves seen on Isla Mujeres probably were of this species.

Specimens (2): , 40478, testis 9 × 5 mm., 175 gm., molting--4th primaries ensheathed (August 9), and [Female], 40479, imm., 116.7 gm., molting--2nd primaries ensheathed (August 10), 3-1/2 km. N San Miguel.

Oreopeleia montana montana (Linnaeus): Ruddy Quail-dove.--My only record is of a male, in full breeding condition, which extends the known breeding period almost two months.

Specimen (1): , 40480, testis 19 × 8 mm., 144.7 gm. (July 29), Pueblo Nuevo X-can.

Artinga astec astec (Souancé): Aztec Parakeet.--This species was most common in deciduous forest and scrub at Champotón, Pisté, Puerto Juarez, and especially Felipe Carrillo Puerto. Parakeets were extremely wary and only two were collected.

Specimens (2): , 40481, testis 3 × 2 mm., 75.0 gm., molting--extensive body molt, 8th primaries ensheathed, middle pair of rectrices are new (August 16), and [Female], 40482, ovary inactive, 72.4 gm. (August 16), 4 km. NNE Felipe Carrillo Puerto.

Amazona xantholora (Gray): Yellow-lored Parrot.--The species was abundant in the vicinity of Champotón. Large flocks congregated near camp; the birds began to assemble about an hour before dark. One was shot from a flock that flew over our camp and another was taken at night from its roost in a small tree about 10 feet above a trail. One small flock of Amazona was seen 4 km. NNE Felipe Carrillo Puerto. All specimens were molting.

Specimens (3): , 40483, testis 5 × 2 mm., 229.1 gm., molting--extensive body molt, 6th primaries ensheathed (July 9), and [Female], 40484, ovary 13 × 9 mm. (inactive), 209.0 gm., molting--extensive body molt, wing molt complete (July 11), 5 km. S Champotón; , 40485, testis 5 × 2 mm., 210.9 gm., molting--extensive body molt, 7th primaries ensheathed (August 16), 4 km. NNE Felipe Carrillo Puerto.

Amazona albifrons nana Miller: White-fronted Parrot.--This species was common west of Escárcega where large flocks were seen every evening. A specimen of A. albifrons was taken south of Champotón where this species occurred in large flocks with A. xantholora. One specimen was taken from a small flock near Chichén-Itzá.

Specimens (5): , 40487, testis 8 × 4 mm., 210.0 gm. (July 10), 5 km. S. Champotón; [Female], 40488, ovary inactive, 205.5 gm., molting (July 12), , 40489, 232.5 gm., molting (July 13), and [Female], 40490, ovary inactive, 206.1 gm. (July 14), 7-1/2 km. W Escárcega; [Female], 40486, ovary inactive, 176.0 gm. (July 27), 2 km. E Chichén-Itzá.

Coccyzus americanus americanus (Linnaeus): Yellow-billed Cuckoo.--A female taken at Pisté substantiates Paynter's (1955a) suggestion that the species breeds on the peninsula.

Specimen (1): [Female], 40491, ovary 12 × 9 mm., 58.7 gm., well-developed brood patch (July 22), Pisté.

Coccyzus minor (Gmelin): Mangrove Cuckoo.--In view of the paucity of recent records of this species from the mainland of the peninsula, it is noteworthy that several individuals were seen flying to and from the beach and mangroves late one evening about 4 km. W Sisal.

Piaya cayana thermophila Sclater: Squirrel Cuckoo.--This species was seen at our camps near Champotón, Pisté, Pueblo Nuevo X-can, and Puerto Juarez. The slightly enlarged (probably regressing) testes of males examined seem to be the only evidence of breeding activity in the species on the peninsula.

Specimens (3): , 40493, testis 8 × 6 mm., 99.6 gm. (July 14), and [Female], 40494, 90.0 gm. (July 14), 7-1/2 km. W Escárcega; , 40492, testis 5 × 2 mm., 97.5 gm., molting (August 14), 4 km. NNE Felipe Carrillo Puerto.

Crotophaga sulcirostris sulcirostris Swainson: Grove-billed Ani.--Three half-grown juveniles were taken at Pisté and a pair in breeding condition was taken at Pueblo Nuevo X-can. These seem to be the first breeding records from the peninsula.

Specimens (5): , 40495, juv., 39.9 gm. (July 21), , 40496, juv., 39.5 gm. (July 21), and [Female], 40497, juv., 30.0 gm. (July 21), Pisté; , 40498, testis 11 × 4 mm., 72.2 gm. (July 28), and [Female], 40499, ova to 7 mm., 70.0 gm. (July 28), Pueblo Nuevo X-can.

Crotophaga ani Linnaeus: Smooth-billed Ani.--The female taken on Isla Cozumel had a slightly enlarged ovary and had been banded (USFWS band no. 524-96303) on the island in 1961 as an adult.

Specimen (1): [Female], 40500, ovary 11 × 7 mm., 86 gm., molting (August 4), 3-1/2 km. N San Miguel.

Glaucidium brasilianum ridgwayi Sharpe: Streaked Pygmy Owl.--A female (40501) was taken by a local boy at Pueblo Nuevo X-can on July 29 weighed 62 gm. and the ovary (7 × 3 mm.) was inactive.

Ciccaba virgata centralis Griscom: Squamulated Owl.--Our only specimen, a female (40502) weighing 288.7 gm. and having an inactive ovary (13 × 4 mm.), was taken at night on July 16 from a mist net stretched across a small trail 1 km. N, 13 km. W Escárcega.

Nyctibius griseus mexicanus Nelson: Mexican Potoo.--One specimen was taken at night 7-1/2 km. W Escárcega where it was found sitting on the limb of a large dead tree. A light but steady rain was falling at the time. On the night of August 16 along a stretch of newly-constructed road 4-16 km. NNE Felipe Carrillo Puerto, 27 potoos were seen, their large and brilliant, amber-colored eyes first appearing in the headlights several hundred yards ahead of our vehicle. All of the birds were perched between 30 and 60 feet above the ground on dead limbs of large trees, and all were perched on the same side of the road facing the light of a full moon. None was less than 200 meters from the next; few flew at the approach of our vehicle. In addition to one specimen taken along the road, another was taken from a fence post in a milpa on the same night. It was approached close enough to be shot with a 22 caliber pistol loaded with dust-shot. All specimens had thick layers of subcutaneous and visceral fat and their gonads were small and seemingly inactive.