Todd-Carriker : Birds of Santa Marta Region, Colombia. 445 



call attention to the inconstancy of the characters attributed to this 

 form. 



The present series show considerable variation, apparently individ- 

 ual, with regard to the extent of the chestnut crown-patch. The spe- 

 cies is closely related to the Central American M. auraiitiaciis. 



On the San Lorenzo and Horqueta this species ranges in the heavy 

 forest between 4,000 and 6,500 feet, being seen but rarely below or 

 above that belt. In the Sierra Nevada, however, its range drops down 

 to 2,000 feet, at least on the north slope. It is a common bird through- 

 out its range, going about in pairs, twittering and chirping. It loves 

 the company of other species having similar haunts and habits, and 

 may invariably be found among the little bands of small birds which 

 roam through the forest, after the manner so prevalent, and yet so 

 peculiar, in the tropics. 



412. Setophaga ruticilla (Linneeus). 



Setophaga ruticilla Salvin and Godman, Ibis, 1879, 199 (Atanquez) ; 1880, 

 118 (Minca; habits). — Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., X, 1S85, 411 (Atan- 

 quez and Minca). — Bangs, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, XII, 1898, 144 

 (" Santa Marta "). — Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., XIII, 1900, 176 

 (Bonda and Valparaiso). — Allen, Auk, XVII, 1900, 366 (Bonda and Val- 

 paraiso). — Cooke, Bull. Biol. Survey, No. 18, 1904, 132 (Santa Marta ref- 

 erences). 



Additional records: Chirua, 'La Concepcion (Brown) ; Dibulla (Car- 

 riker). 



Fourteen specimens : Bonda, Cincinnati, La Tigrera, Don Diego, 

 Pueblo Viejo, and Chirua. 



An abundant bird during the winter months in the mountains, but 

 much rarer in the lowlands. Its habits are practically the same as in 

 the north, except that it does not sing. Simons speaks of finding it 

 in the densest forest in the tops of the highest trees, where it is very 

 hard to see, and can only be shot with very large charges. The first 

 individual observed in the fall of 1914 was a male noted on September 

 19, at Las Vegas. The earliest date of arrival, however, is repre- 

 sented by a specimen in the Carnegie Museum sent in by Mr. Smith, 

 which was collected on August 24, 1898. This is in line with what is 

 known of the species' migration at this season elsewhere. It was 

 noted at La Tigrera, and the specimen secured, at the remarkably late 

 spring date of May 1, 1913 — a time when the bulk of the species has 



