NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



665 



7. Semi-desert 



2000 to 8000 or 9000 ft. Low annual 

 rainfall but marked erosion of topog- 

 raphy, vegetation very scant and xero- 

 phytic in type, made up of cacti, agave, 

 mesquite, etc. These areas are often 

 connected by river valleys with the 

 arid lowland areas. The largest hoyo 

 and one of the most important agricul- 

 turally is drained by the River Paute, 

 an afHuent of the Maranon, tributary 

 of the Amazon; the relatively unimpor- 

 tant plains of Jubones and Zaruma, are 

 drained by streams flowing into the 

 Pacific; and finally the small but fertile 

 plain of Loja is drained by the Rio 

 Zamora which flows into the Marailou. 

 A large part of southern Ecuador (Loja 

 Province) is extremely arid. 



Where aridity is pronounced, mammal 

 life almost nil, bird life very restricted, 

 lizards about the only reptiles seen. 

 Where not so arid, puma, hare, many 

 small rodents occur. 



3. Subalpine evergreen forest {humid 

 temperate zone) 



9000 to 12,000 ft. Characterized at 

 upper limits by stunted, gnarled trees. 

 Many mammals of tropical and sub- 

 tropical forest range up throughout the 

 temperate forest. However the lower 

 temperatures generally are a barrier 

 to the monkeys, and individuals of the 

 other species are not as numerous as 

 lower down. Many small rodents are 

 peculiar to this zone. 



9. Paramillos 



Paramillos at 10,000 to 12fi00 ft., 

 are often large areas of low scrub and 

 fields of Vaccinium and allied plants. 



Andean White-tailed Deer: Odocoileus 



peruvianus consul, Odocoileus peru- 



vianus 

 Ecuadorian Guemal : THppocamelus 



antisiensis 

 Pudu: Pudus mephistopheles 

 Andean Wild Cat: Felis pajeros thomasi 

 Andean Wolf: Pseudalopex reissH 

 Spectacled Bear: Trcmarctos ornatus 



majori 

 Ecuadorian Shrew: Cryptotis aequatons 

 Shrew: Cryptotis monlivaga 



Andean Hare: Sylvilagus bandinus and 



subspecies 

 American Tapir : Tapirus americanus 



10. Andine meadow 



Above the bushland, from 12,000 

 to 15,000 ft., lie the Andine Meadows 

 or pdramos. In places these are covered 

 with dense growth of low shrubs, belong- 

 ing largely to the family Ericaceae, 

 and elsewhere support nothing but 

 bunch grass {Stipa ichu) and frailejon 

 {Espeletia spp.). 



The mammals include the Andean 

 white tailed deer, Ecuadorian pudo, 

 Andean wild cat, Andean wolf, hares 

 and small rodents of several genera. 



11. Perpetual snoiu 



Snow descends to 15,000 ft. on the 

 higher slopes of the volcanoes and lies 

 permanently from 16,000 ft. upwards. 



Flowering plants and low shrubs 

 grow right up to the limits of snow 

 line: the Compositae are well repre- 

 sented. Humming birds follow the 

 flowers. 



12. Local areas 



Water course, etc. Various genera 

 of mice, nameless to the laymen because 

 they have never been given common 

 names, such as various species of Ako~ 

 don, running from the lowlands, both 

 arid and humid, up to pdramo zone. 



Fish-eating Rats: Ichthyomys soder- 

 stromi, Anotomys leander, Neusticomys 

 monticolus. Found along the streams 

 from low -lands to High Andes 



Water Opossum: Chironectes minimus. 

 Along water courses in lower zones 



III. ROUTES OF TRAVEL (W. P.) 



Guayaquil 



Guayaquil does not have a severe 

 climate, although nearly on the equator, 

 and in recent years yellow fever has 

 been wiped out. The port is at present 

 a pleasant place in which to stop, and 

 may serve as a base for work on the 

 Ecuadorian littoral as well as in the 

 southern provinces. The hotels are 

 several. The TivoU is recommended, 



