CATALOGUE OF A COLLECTION OF BIRDS FROM 



COSTA RICA.* 



BY JOHN FARWELL FERRY. 



The birds considered in this paper were collected in Costa Rica 

 during January, February and March of 1908 in localities upon the 

 country's Atlantic slope. Though the rainy season was in progress, 

 collecting was not seriously interfered with considering the time as a 

 whole. 



Guayabo was visited from January 15 to February 6. The term 

 Guayabo appears to apply generally to a rich grazing district lying 

 several hours' horseback journey below Turrialba Station on the 

 Northern Railway of Costa Rica. This locality is one of heavily 

 forested slopes, cut by deep wooded ravines, and interspersed with 

 great reaches of luxuriant lawn. Lofty, wide-branching trees stand 

 singly or in groups about the lawns, and are a picturesque feature of the 

 landscape. They play an important part in the bird-life of the region. 

 The top of each tree, a small forest in itself, attracts a great number of 

 birds at dusk, which come to roost for the night. About sun-down 

 these tree-tops seem fairly alive with birds. 



Don Juan Gomez was my host at Guayabo, and- at his comfortable 

 estate everything was done for my comfort and to assist me in my 

 work. The consideration and courtesy he extended to me is so highly 

 appreciated that a mere mention of it seems totally inadequate. 



With pack animals, a journey of. some twenty miles was made in a 

 northerly direction from Cartago, a former capital of the Republic. 

 The locality thus reached is known as Coliblanco, an extensive region 

 situated upon one of the buttressing slopes of the Volcan de Turrialba 

 at an altitude of about 6,500 feet. The region is heavily timbered, 

 hilly, and cut by numerous ravines through which small mountain 

 torrents flow. Numerous clearings are cultivated or used for grazing. 

 My headquarters were at the estate of Don Aurelio Calleja, a pros- 

 perous resident of Cartago. The scenery at Coliblanco was of great 

 beauty, the more rugged growth of a high altitude blending with 

 tropical luxuriance. Collecting was fairly good in this locality, 



*Posthumous; Mr. Ferry died February n, 1910. 



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