486 



TEE AMEBIC AN MUSEUM JOURNAL 



Always detailed accounts of the coun- 

 try traversed were preserved, altitudes 

 taken, and the nature of the water 

 courses and forests recorded — informa- 

 tion of utmost importance for Dr. 

 Chapman's study of the distrihution of 

 bird life and of almost equal impor- 

 tance to a knowledge of the commercial 

 or economic development of the coun- 

 try. The descriptions of transporta- 

 tion facilities, roads, and trails found 

 in Dr. Chapman's volume are valual)le 

 not only to the zoologist but to travel- 

 ers or explorers, particularly at this 

 time when Colombia seems to be on the 

 verge of an economic awakening. 



The large number of photographic 

 illustrations of the country add greatly 

 to the value and interest of the written 

 descriptions. The maps of the life 

 zones, which are likewise crop zones, 

 and the map of the distribution of the 

 forests will be welcomed equally ])y 

 zoological, botanical, and commercial 

 investigators. What is important to the 

 zoologist in planning an expedition to 

 collect as many forms of life as possible 

 is equally important to the promoter of 

 a railroad or to anyone seeking the de- 

 velopment of the agricultural resources 

 of the country. The climatic factors 

 which control the distribution of ani- 

 mal life likewise influence the growth 

 of crops and the development of forests 

 or grazinsf country, and upon these de- 

 pend the building of railroads and the 

 growth of cities. The life zones of Co- 

 lombia found in Dr. Chapman's re])ort 

 are based upon the distribution of bird 

 life. Each zone, however, has its char- 

 acteristic plants and trees and its char- 

 acteristic cultivated crops. A glance at 

 the map will show equally "svell where 

 one can expect to find black merulas or 

 where one can grow wheat. Where red- 

 rumped tanagers occur, there coffee 

 grows well. 



The topography of Colombia and tiie 

 resulting life zones are as varied and 

 interesting as can be found anywhere 

 in the world. This region, Ivinar. as it 



does, just north of the equator, between 

 the first and twelfth parallels of lati- 

 tude, might be expected to possess a 

 uniformity of life and climatic condi- 

 tions, but because of the mountains 

 there is a greater diversity than occurs 

 between Florida and Greenland. Palms 

 and glaciers, dripping forests and sandy 

 deserts, tropical heat and blinding 

 snowstorms greet the traveler in rapid 

 succession. 



The great chain of the Andes 1)reaks 

 up into three ranges in southern Co- 

 lombia, being separated by the Cauca 

 and Magdalena valleys. The highest 

 peak is Nevada del Tolima of the cen- 

 tral range, 18,500 feet, a symmetrical 

 cone of gleaming snow, extending GOOO 

 feet above the forest-covered ridges 

 al)0ut it. The eastern range continues 

 northward nearly to the Caribbean Sea 

 l)ut is separated by the valley of the 

 Cesar from the isolated ridge of the 

 Santa Marta Mountains. The central 

 range extends not quite so far, being 

 interrupted by the Cauca Eiver as it 

 swings eastward to join the Magdalena. 

 The western range was, at one time. 

 Dr. Chapman points out, continuous 

 with the mountains of Central Amer- 

 ica, but a great subsidence has taken 

 place in northwestern Colombia and in 

 Panama rather recently geologically, 

 leaving the high peaks of western Pan- 

 ama and Costa Pica with no direct 

 faunal connection with the Colombian 

 mountains but with ever}^ evidence of 

 once having been continuous with them. 



Between the western and central 

 rangfcs extends the Cauca Valley, a flat 

 plain about thirty miles wide. Through 

 it winds the Cauca River, a fair-sized 

 stream, navigable to river steamers in 

 its lower and upper courses but inter- 

 rupted in the middle by a series of 

 rapids. The upper valley is apparently 

 the bed of an ancient lake which Ijroke 

 throiiizh its northern barrier, formingf 

 the cafion of the Cauca and the rapids 

 in that region. The land is fertile, 

 therefore, and although at present 



