Editorial 



255 



2^irti=lLore 



A Bi-Monthly Magazine 

 Devoted to the Study and Protection of Birds 



OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETIES 



Edited by FRANK M. CHAPMAN 



Contributing Editor, MABEL OSGOOD WRIGHT 



Published by D. APPLETON & CO. 



Vol. XVIII Published August 1,1916 No. 4 



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Price in the United States. Canada and Mexico, twenty cents 

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COPYRIGHTED, 1916, BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN 



Bird-Lore's Motto: 

 A Bird in the Bush Is Worth Two in the Hand 



On May 6, the Editor of Bird-Lore, 

 accompanied by Mr. George K. Cherrie 

 and several unofficial members of the 

 expedition, sailed from New York to con- 

 tinue his field studies of South American 

 bird-life. The first object in view was the 

 gathering of material, photographs and 

 data, on which to base a Habitat Group 

 of the bird-life of the Paramo, or upper 

 life-zone, of Mt. Chimborazo. This group 

 is designed to be a companion of one repre- 

 senting the characteristic birds of the 

 American tropics, for which specimens, 

 etc., were secured in the Madalena Valley 

 some years ago. 



Taking into consideration the season at 

 which the voyage was made, surprisingly 

 few birds were seen between New York and 

 Colon. Neither Herring Gulls nor Petrels 

 were noted, and but two land-birds were 

 observed. Possibly most of the Gulls had 

 gone North, and the Petrels had not arrived 

 from the South; while the exceptionally 

 calm weather accounted for the absence 

 of migrant land-birds. The first land- 

 bird seen was a Dove {Zenaidura macroura) 

 which, apparently without alighting, flew 

 by the ship at eleven o'clock on May 8, 

 when we were in about Lat. 31° 28'; Long. 

 76° 46'. The occurrence so far from the 

 land of a bird whose migrations are not 

 known to extend south of the Gulf States 

 was most unexpected. 



The second land-bird recorded was a 

 Cuban Cliff Swallow {Petrochelidon fulva), 



which boarded the ship when we were 

 between Cuba and Yucatan, a fact which 

 is of significance in accounting for the 

 breeding of this West Indian species in 

 eastern Yucatan. 



While waiting for the steamer to sail for 

 Guayaquil, we visited the ruins of the old 

 city of Panama and, aside from its his- 

 toric interest, the place possesses unusual 

 attractions for a naturalist. The rainy 

 season had just begun, vegetation was 

 luxuriant, and many species of birds were 

 in song. The sandy or mangrove-lined 

 shores, pastures, bush-grown fields and 

 patches of forest offer wide variety of 

 haunts, while an eminently unpicturesque 

 posada, recently erected for the accommo- 

 dation of picnicing tourists, would afford 

 the bird-student a lodging in the very 

 heart of what is evidently a fertile region. 



During the four-day voyage from 

 Panama to Guayaquil, a large Petrel, 

 apparently of the genus Mstrelata, was 

 common, and two species of Booby (Sula) 

 were seen near La Plata Island, on which 

 they evidently lived. This island, how- 

 ever, has no large colonies of birds such 

 as inhabit the guano islands off the coast 

 of Peru, although its barrenness makes it 

 seemingly an ideal resort for sea-fowl. 



Guayaquil was reached May 20, and our 

 camp was made on the flanks of Chim- 

 borazo at an altitude of 11,840 feet. From 

 this point the mountain was ascended to 

 the upper limit of vegetation, at approxi- 

 mately 14,000 feet. Beyond this height 

 only the Condor ranged and we watched 

 these majestic birds sweeping below or 

 soaring high above with only admiration 

 for the ease and grace with which they 

 navigated the thin air, but with no ambi- 

 tion to reach, in our laborious way, the 

 altitude they attained with so little 

 apparent effort. 



Our experiences on Chimborazo were of 

 absorbing interest, but cannot be re- 

 counted here, and we can add only that 

 the studies necessary for the proposed 

 group were satisfactorily made, and re- 

 serve for some future occasion a descrip- 

 tion of the work itself. — Quito, June 5, 1916. 



