Mar., 1910 A GLIMPSE OF BIRD LIFE ON THE WEST COAST OF MEXICO 77

taris), a bird al/ays 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 wah-cah, 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 oratrz'x) 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 with 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 fhe Chachalaca ( Ortalis vetula maccalh')was not common. Onq 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-blasiana san-blasiana) was a conspicuous bird of the open places, and the Long-tailed Blue Jay (Calocitta colliei) 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 (Ceryle cabanisi), Belted (Ceryle alcyon) and Great Rufous-bellied (Ceryle 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 (Jomotus 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 cilreolus) 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 fly and were very numerous. On May 14 I flusht a Parauque (2Vyctidromus albicollis) 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 Blas. Hawks seemed to be particularly abundant and easy to secure. Audubon Caracaras seemed to be the most abundant,followed by the Mexican Black Hawk( (frubitinga anthracina), Harris Hawk (lrarabuteo unicinctus harrisi) and Mexican Goshawk (Asturina plagiala). Owls could frequently be heard at night. Elegant Woodpeckers (Cen- rufus elegans) and Mexican Pileareal Woodpeckers (Ceophloeus scapularis) could be seen on every trip to the groves, while 6f that, yvoodpecker-like bird in habits, tho belonging to a different order s the Swa, inson Woodhewer (i)endrornisflavfga-