NO. 2298. THE GUANO BIRDS OF PERU—GOEER. 495 



birds disgorge their proy in self-defense, the tijereta with swift flight 

 will recapture it in mid-air or snatch it from the surface of the water. 

 In one instance I have seen the table almost turned when a large 

 gannet (Sula nehouxi) pursued a tijereta back and forth for a con- 

 siderable time. A turn of the tijereta from time to time would 

 put the gannet to temporary flight. The end of the combat was not 

 witnessed. 



Stolzmann, as quoted by Taczanowski/ says: 



The Peruvian port of Payta is the southern limit of geographic distribution of this 

 bird on the Pacific Ocean. It is astonishing that it is found on the Atlantic aa far 

 as Rio Janeirw, 23° S. latitude, while on the Pacific it does not pass the 5° of S. latitude. 



Undoubtedly the colder waters of the west coast are not favorable to 

 an extended range, but my records indicate a more southerly range 

 than is stated by Stolzmann. The tijereta was observed at Tumbes 

 (3i° S.) in January, 1908; at Paita (5° S.) in April, 1907; at Lobos 

 de Tierra (6^8.) same month; at Eten (7° S.) in November, 1907; 

 and at Pacasmayo (7^° S.) in March, 1907. At Eten nine specimens 

 at one time were seen in flight inland from the village, and a little 

 later some six or seven more were observed. Only one example 

 was noted at Pacasmayo, but a reliable local informant at that place 

 spoke of it as an occasional visitor. 



The mangrove-bordered estuaries of Tumbes in the far north of 

 Peru undoubtedly constitute its most southerly nesting place. In 

 January, 1908, their nosts were seen in abundance on the mangrove 

 trees, as had previously been described by Stolzmann. 



Von Tschudi mentions the red-billed tropic bird, Plmetlion 

 aethereus Linnaeus, as occurring on the Peruvian coast and states 

 that the Snakebird, Anhinga (Plotus) anhinga (Linnaeus) , nests on 

 the islands of the coast. The latter is mentioned as one of the 

 importa,nt guano birds. Neither of these v/as observed on or near 

 the islands. 



THE SHORE BIRDS (LIMICOLAE). 



While the Limicolae, or shore birds, are well represented in favora- 

 ble regions on the mainland, they do not in any abundance frequent 

 the Peruvian Islands mth their generally rocky shores. The islands 

 of Lobos de Afuera and especially Lobos de Tierra offer more favorable 

 beaches than any of the others, although some of the shore birds 

 may be met on almost any of the island groups. No extensive 

 collections of birds of this order were made, but the species collected 

 and identified are mentioned in the following paragraphs. 



The oyster catcher or "brujillo de pecho bianco" (little witch 

 with white breast), Haematopus palliatus (brasilianus Maximillian ?), 

 was recorded in my notes at the Chincha Islands, Chilca Bay, and the 

 Isla Vieja. With its distinctive cry and striking color markings, the 



1 Ornithologie du P6rou, p. 428. 



