Techniques for Color-Marking Hummingbirds

Abstract

the general area of that part of the Gulf Coastal Plain.” Freshwater conditions are certain because of the occurrence of catfishes, freshwater drum, gars, and sunfish (Swift 1968), and abundant frog material. The mammal fauna shows great diversity and probably indicates a concomitantly diverse habitat in the area. In addition, the occurrence of large tortoises (Geochelone and Gopho~us hexagon&a) certainly indicates at least milder winters than are known for south Texas todav. Lundelius ( 1972) felt also that the age structure of Tanup&& mhfica indicated seasonality of a climatic factor, perhaps rainfall. The Ingleside avifauna could be accounted for by the present-day ecological setting along the south Texas coast. Most of the species are known from the present-day south Texas fauna. It is difficult to assess the significance of the extinct stork Cico& m&ha, since modern s’ torks occur in a wide variety of habitats and areas of the world. In the present-day fauna of south Texas, there is one stork (Myctek americana) which occurs primarily in swamps, marshes, and ponds. The modem storks are typically warm climate, freshwater birds, but they may breed in more northern latitudes and migrate southward at the onset of cold. I wish to thank Ernest Lundelius for placing the Ingleside specimens at my disposal and Larry D. Martin for helping in the identification of some of the fossils. The fossils were identified by comparisons with skeletons from the collections of the Museum of Natural History, the University of Kansas, and the collection of Pierce Brodkorb, the University of Florida. Pierce Brodkorb kindly criticized the manuscript.