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



ters said, they are very fond of wheat which they obtain in the stubble 

 fields and about the threshing sheds. 



On the Paramo Tambor they were even more plentiful than at the 

 Rio Mucujon. Here where large clearings had been burnt off, high 

 stubs were left scattered around and the ground was covered with a 

 bush similar to our poke weed. The torcazas would alight on these 

 stubs to ascertain that no danger lurked before flying to the ground 

 to feed on the seeds of this weed. 



On April 14, at the Paramo Tambor an immature female was shot, 

 so they must be nesting in that vicinity in March. This specimen is 

 about a quarter smaller than the mature birds, has no sign of the 

 white nape, and shows very little metallic greenish on the hind neck. 

 The underparts are dark gray, the feathers being tipped with russet 

 brown, which becomes darker on the chest. 



Local name, Torcaza. 



Oenoenas plumbea propinqua Cory. 



La Azulita, i. 



The one specimen obtained agrees with the type of O. p. propinqua 

 from Peru in the color of the head and neck, but the tail is less pur- 

 plish. In size it also agrees, the wing measuring 182, We find no 

 records of the occurrence of any form of plumbea in Venezuela. This 

 specimen therefore may extend the known range of the species. 



Around La Azulita these pigeons were very common. They are 

 strictly arboreal, spending all their time in the higher trees of the 

 heavy forest. During the morning from sunrise until about ten, and 

 in the afternoon from about four until dark the woods were ringing 

 with the cooing of these pigeons. They were very difficult to see 

 among the leaves, as on the slighest noise from the ground, the birds 

 would stop calling and remain motionless. Time after time birds were 

 heard, but before one got within range the calling would cease, and 

 no amount of watching would locate them. It was exasperating to 

 spend fifteen minutes under a tree and not be able to see any sig^ 

 of life, only to have the calling commence as soon as you were a few 

 hundred yards away. These pigeons probably secure all their food in 

 the trees, never coming to the ground. The noise of particles of fruit 

 or seeds dropped by feeding birds was frequently heard. 



Oenoenas subvinacea zuliae Cory. 



Paramo Tambor, 4; La Azulita, i ; Orope, i (Type). 



Found in the valley of the Rio Guachi from 3000 feet to 7000 feet. 



