10 



spots. The native name is Pichiqidna." Mr. Peale " obtained it in the 

 vicinity of Valparaiso, Chili, in the month of May, at which season it is 

 not common ; it frequents low bushes, and is much on the ground. Its 

 general habits and appearance resemble those of the Snow-bird of North 

 America (Niphcpa liyemalis); the tail, however, appears bordered with black 

 while the birds are flying, instead of having the white margin of the 

 northern species." 



It was procured by Mr. L. Fraser above Punin, near Riobamba in 

 Ecuador, at an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet above the sea-level, where he 

 says it is found " on the small bushes and stones, taking flight like a 

 Flycatcher or Humming-bird, although no insects were found in the 

 stomach." He also sent home examples of this bird from Calacali, which 

 is situated at a height of 8,000 feet above the sea- level, where he remarks 

 it was " not uncommon ; food, small seeds and grubs ; lives entirely on 

 the ground amongst the heather ; when disturbed, takes an undulatmg 

 flight for about sixty or eighty yards." 



Among the collections made during j\Ir. H. Whitely's travels in West 

 Peru, many examples of this species in all phases of plumage were pro- 

 cured ; he first met with it at Islay, a seaport town below Arequipa ; in this 

 latter locality, at an elevation of 7,800 feet above the sea-level, the bird was 

 more abundant. " A nest of this species, taken near Arequipa in March 

 1868, is in Mr. Whitely's collection ; it is described as made of coarse grass, 

 lined with finer grass and placed on the ground in fields of lucerne. The 

 eggs are very like those of our Yellow-hammer {Ember l:a cifrmella)." 



Professor W. Nation says : " In 1867 I discovered this beautiful 

 bird on a large plain, covered with low bushes, a few miles from Lima. 

 It was feeding on the ground, after the manner of a Zonotrickia. Sub- 

 sequently I have made hundreds of visits to this plain, and have shown 

 the examples to many sportsmen, but have neither seen it again myself 

 nor been able to obtain any information respecting it. I am therefore of 

 opinion that its occun-ence in tins plain was accidental, and hope to dis- 

 cover its true abode in some of the valleys of the Andes." 



M. Jelski found it plentiful near Lima and Haunta in W. Peru. Capt. 

 A. H. Markham sent it from Coquimbo, and from the volcanic region of 

 Chimborazo, in Ecuador ; M. Stolzmann has sent examples, which were 

 collected in April. 



