LÖNNBERG AND RENDAHL, ORNITHOLOGY OF ECUADOR. 65 



4000 f.; 1 c^, ^Ve» Grualea western side of Pichincha, 5000 f.; 

 2 sp. without locality. Local name: »Perdicador ». 



Rhamphastos ambiguus Swains. — 3 males collected ^j^ 

 below Baeza road to Napo, 5500 f. This and the following 

 Toucans substitute each other on either side of the Andes. 



Rhamphastos ambiguus abbreviatus Cab. — (^ & ? Vs- 

 1 ^ ^/g near Gualea 4000 f.; I (^ '/lo ^^^^i' the same locality 

 iKit altitude 4500 f . 



With regard to colour these specimens from Gualea are 

 quite similar to those from the western side of the Andes, 

 but there is a very remarkable difference in size between the 

 two groups of specimens. This difference is plainly seen 

 from the following measurements : 



R. ambiguus R. a. abbreviatus 



from Baeza from Gualea 



Culmen 155 154 138 153 -124 -123 -122 



Height of bill at casque 54 51 49 35 -42 42 -42 



Length ot wing .... 242 236 238 202 -198 -193 209 



Length of tail 179 177 190 149 -148 143 153 



Tarsus 56 54 54 46 49 49 49 



It is well known that the Toucans vary in size, especially 

 with regard to their bilis, but in these two series we find that 

 the length of the bill is of less importance. The height of 

 the same organ appears to be less variable, and the three 

 other dimensions, although, of course, variable to a certain 

 extent appear to prove very satisfactorily, that there is a 

 thorough-going difference between the Toucans of this species 

 on the different sides of the Andes. To judge from the measure- 

 ments, which Ridgway has published (Birds N. & M. Am., 

 Pt. 6, p. 339) for B. ambiguus from Central America, it is 

 evident, that these belong to this smaller race. This is just 

 what could be expected and is in full accordance with many 

 other analogous cases, viz. that there is more resemblance 

 between animals from Central America and such from western 

 Ecuador, than between the former and the corresponding 

 ones from the eastern side of the Andes. Swainson's name 

 ambiguus was based on a coloured drawing of an unknown 

 artist and from unknown locality, but, as Chapman has stated, 

 it may be considered, that Buena Vista on »the most eastern» 

 ridge of the Eastern Andes on the trall from Bogota is the 

 type locality of Rh. ambiguus ambiguus. This larger form 



Arkiv fur zoologi. Band Ii. N:o 25. 5 



