30 ARKIV FÖR ZOOLOGI. BAND M. N:0 25. 



1 (^ '74J Tablon, road to Papallacta 11500 f. All these are 

 fully adult birds, but in addition to them there is also a very 

 interesting series of young birds in the brownish plumage to 

 be described below. These are from the following localities: 

 1 juv. ^^s' eastern side of Corazon; 1 $ juv. ^"/tj i^ear Machache 

 10000 f.; 1 c^ 1 $ juv. ^7? i^ear Nono northwestern Pichincha; 

 1 juv. Va 1916 Pichincha above Lloa, 11000 f.; 1 (^ 1 $ ^4 

 1920 near Nono north of Pichincha 1000 f. 



On the label of these specimens coUected 1916 Consul 

 Söderström has written: »This species used to be very com- 

 mon on the plains of Machache, whereever there was cattle. 

 Sometimes 40 or 50 would be seen in one field. » On the label 

 of the 2 young specimens collected 1920 he writes further: 

 »This species used to be very common, but of late the Indians 

 seem to kill and eat them, and consequently they are getting 

 very scarce.» 



A not yet fledged young bird is on the back rather dark, 

 about »Prouts brown» (Ridgway), with narrow black shaft- 

 stripes and somewhat paler tips to the feathers. Head and 

 neck paler, about »sayal-brown ». Lower back overlaid with 

 the buffish tips of the feathers, grading into the sandy buf- 

 fish uper tail-coverts, which are provided with irregular dusky 

 bars and markings. Upper wing-coverts somewhat darker 

 than the back and inclining to »bister». The greater coverts 

 and the scapulars like the quills with buffish white tips. On 

 the primary coverts this light colour is much more extended 

 as well on the outer web as especially on the inner web along 

 the shaft. Primaries black, secondaries more brownish with 

 black shafts. Lower side of primaries with a broad glossy 

 cinnamon band on the inner web along the shaft. Breast 

 »snuff -brown » (Ridgway) with black shafts; chest somewhat 

 paler, belly with buffish tips, crissum and lower tail-coverts 

 buffish white. Inner wing-coverts like the breast. Central 

 tail-feathers brown with a buffish white subapical spöt, on 

 the others the light markings increase more and more, especi- 

 ally on the inner web; all are tipped with buffish white. 



When the young birds get somewhat older, the brown 

 colour of head and neck fades. The light tips of the scapulars, 

 greater coverts and quills become almost white. The lower 

 side is much paler brown, about »sayal-brown», with paler 

 central streaks. Basal half of the primaries buffish white on 



