Journey through Colomhin and Ecuador. 475 



Sparrow, and also in many towns of the central tableland. 

 We found that it ranged up the Western Andes to just over 

 1 1,000 feet, and over the western side of them down to Milli- 

 galli (6000 feet) ; but we only saw three there altogether, and 

 at no other place on the same side at anything like such a low 

 altitude. I was told that the birds were occasionally enticed 

 down by grain which falls from the sacks as the mules carry 

 tliem from the highlands to the forests below. There were 

 certain villages in the Chillo Valley where we never saw them, 

 but they were plentiful around the tambo on the Tablon 

 (11,750 feet), ou the western side of the Eastern Andes, 

 though unknoAvn at Papallacta, 11,500 feet, over on the 

 eastern side of the same range. Nor did we see any at 

 Pedregal or in the Valle de Viciosa, on the Eastern Andes. 

 I believe that they were the birds which were quite common 

 at Popayan, Colombia (5825 feet). In Quito they were very 

 tame, and frequently came into the rooms. They nested 

 there under the tiles and among the creepers on the trees 

 and walls. They have a sweet but rather melancholy song, 

 and may often be heard singing on moonlight nights. They 

 are seldom seen far away from the dwellings of man. I 

 saw an apparently pure albino in Quito and several partial 

 albinos, but did not secure any. Local name, " El Gorrion." 



142. Embernagra chrysoma Scl. 



One male from Gualea, Western Ecuador. 



143. Chrysomitris icterica capitalis Cab. 

 Chrysomitris capitalis Sharpe, Cat. B. xii. p. 219. 



A large series of adult and immature males and females 

 from Quito and the Chillo Valley. At both places they 

 congregated in large flocks in November, December, and 

 January, and filled the air with their sweet song. In Quito 

 they eat the seeds of most of the flowering plants in the 

 gardens, but in the Chillo Valley they feed chiefly on grass- 

 seeds. 



144. Sycalis ARVENsis LUTEiVENTRis (Mayen). 

 Sycalis luteiveniris Sharpe, Cat. B. xii. p. 883. 



We did not find this bird in Quito, but shot a few m the 



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