30 Field Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. XII. 



ravine near the top of the canyon. It first made itself known by start- 

 ing a scolding cackle very similar to that of the common guinea fowl. 

 On being approached, it flew up into a low tree, where it sat scolding 

 and presenting an easy mark. 



According to native hunters, these curassows lay two eggs, build- 

 ing their nests in clumps of hanging vines or low trees. 

 Local name, Paujil. 



Penelope montagni Bonaparte, 



Rio Mucujon, 3 ; Paramo de Tama, 2. 

 This temperate zone species is found in both Colombia and Vene- 

 zuela, two specimens from the Paramo de Tama being identical with 

 the three from the Rio Mucujon. It was seen only at the Rio Mucujon, 

 where we found it at eight to ten thousand feet elevation. However, 

 on the other side of the Chama Valley in the Sierra Nevada at an 

 elevation of about 7500 feet, its call was heard several times. 



These guans do not appear to wander much during the day, but 

 stay near certain favorite feeding places. The native hunters know 

 these localities, and on arriving at them imitate the whistling call of 

 the bird. If any are in the neighborhood they will immediately answer. 

 If one remained quiet the birds' curiosity would generally get the 

 better of them and a shot would be obtained. Sometimes when ap- 

 proached they would become suspicious and change their call to a 

 sharp scolding. 



The flesh of this bird was generally excellent, although not always 

 so. Probably, as in all birds of this class, their food at the time has 

 a great deal to do with the matter. 



Local name, Pava. 



Penelope cristata Linnaeus. 



Rio Cogollo, I ; Rio Guachi, i. 



We refer to this species two specimens from the tropical zone 

 around Lake Maracaibo. Only one specimen of P. cristata, and that 

 from Costa Rica, was available for comparison, but our birds do not 

 seem to diflFer from it in any great respect. 



This species was abundant in the vicinity of the Rio Cogollo and 

 also at the mouth of the Rio Guachi, although the former is in a 

 relatively arid region and the latter in a very humid one. They are 

 noisy birds, uttering their scolding cry when alarmed or excited, but 



