[From “ Novitates Zoologicae.” Vol. XVII. December, 1910.] 
- 
, THE BIRDS OF THE RIO MADEIRA. 
By C. E. HELLMAYR. 
I. INTRODUCTION. 
HE Rio Madeira, the mightiest affluent to the Amazons from the south, has 
been somewhat neglected by naturalists, and, until recently, oar knowledge of 
its avifauna rested exclusively on the researches of John Natterer, who, in 1828, 
1829, and 1830, had made extensive collections on this river. The results of his 
exertions are embodied in A. von Pelzeln’s well-known work “ Zur Ornithologie 
Brasiliens. Resultate von Johann Natterer’s Reisen in den Jahren 1817 bis 1835,” 
Vienna, 1867-70.* In 1906 Mr. W. Hoffmanns visited the district, collecting at 
Humaytha on the left bank, at Paraiso and Borba on the right side. This material, 
consisting of several hundred specimens, went to the Tring Museum, and an account 
of it has been given by me in Novitates Zoologicae, vol. xiv. 1907, pp. 343-412. In 
March 1907 Mr. Hoffmanns returned to his old hunting-grounds, working chiefly 
on the right bank of the river, and continued collecting until October 1908, when 
ill-health once more put an end to his activity. Though much hampered by 
frequent attacks of malaria, for which the Madeira has a very bad reputation, 
Mr. Hoffmanns was able to bring together a series of about 1300 bird skins, which, 
together with those secured on his first trip, makes a total of 2000 specimens. 
Besides these I have examined, thanks to the generous assistance of Dr. von 
Lorenz, the greater portion of the material obtained by Natterer on the Madeira 
and Guaporé Rivers. 
The following article may, therefore, be looked upon as a complete résumé of 
our present knowledge of the ornis of the Madeira region, which I have deemed best 
to restrict to that portion of the stream from Borba upwards to the janction of the 
Beni and Guaporé Rivers, the country below Borba being wholly unexplored. Four 
hundred and sixty-four species have been ascertained to occur within this area, 
although I feel sure that future explorations will considerably swell this list. 
It remains to say a few words about the localities visited by Mr. Hoffmanns on 
his second expedition. The majority of the specimens were obtained at a place 
called Calama, situated on the right bank just below the junction of the Rio 
Giparana or Machados, which forms the boundary between the Brazilian states 
Amazonas and Mattogrosso. Jamarysinho is a hamlet on the left side of the 
Machados, near its mouth, and Sao Isabel a little village on the Rio Preto, a small 
affluent which flows into the Machados not far from its junction with the Madeira. 
Allianca is a settlement farther up the stream, a little above the mouth of the Rio 
Jamary. Maruins is situated on the left bank of the Machados, several journeys 
* According to Von Pelzeln (op. eit. p. 392, note) A. R. Ferreira visited, between 1783 and 1793, the 
Madeira and Guaporé Rivers. His collections are said to have gone to Lisbon, but, as far as I am aware, 
have never been reported upon. ~~ 
