Journey through Colombia and Ecuador. 227 



hut. Scarcely anyone seemed to know these birds, which 

 was probably owing to the fact of the region that they inhabit 

 being so isolated ; but the natives who had seen them before 

 spoke of them as " Bandurias.^' Iris blood-red. 



Fam. A N A T I D iE. 



524. QUERQUEDULA CYANOPTERA ( Vicill.) . 



A male from the Santo Carolina marshes, outside the north 

 of Quito. An occasional visitor only to them. 



525. Merganetta columbiana (Des Murs). 



A young male from the lake above Papallacta, about 

 12,000 feet. Legs and fest yellow ; upper mandible dark 

 olive-green, under mandible yellow. 



Fam. CoLUMBiD^. 



526. CoLUMBA RUFiNA (Tcmm ). 



Two males, one from Popayan, Colombia, and the other 

 from the Chillo Valley near Quito. 



527. CoLUMBA suBviNACEA (Lawr.). 



Two males from Baeza, Eastern Ecuador, and another male 

 from Santo Domingo, on the Pacific side. The last is much 

 smaller than the other two, and agrees in measurements with 

 specimens described by Mr. Hartert from Paramba as C. sub- 

 vinacea berlepschi. The iris in both cases is crimson. The 

 birds seemed tame in their habits, and those from Baeza were 

 shot close to the hut door. 



528. Metriopeha melanoptera (MoL). 



Numerous near Cotopaxi, at about 13,500 feet, among 

 the rocks and lava. As nothing but a few tufts of coarse 

 grass grew there, it was difficult to imagine what they could 

 find to eat. The stomachs of two that we shot were quite 

 empty. In life they have a primrose spot in front of the eye. 



529. Cham^pelia passerina (Linn.). 



Four males and two females from the Chillo Valley, where 

 we found them numerous along the dusty roads. Their 

 flight is short and swift, and when disturbed they settle again 

 a short distance ahead. In this way they will keep in front 



q2 



