BIRD LIFE IN THE URUBAMBA VALLEY OF PERU. 13 



a change in the character of the bird-life, evident even from the 

 window of a moving train, geese (CMoepJiaga) , ducks of several 

 species, ibis (Plegadis), coots (Fulica), replacing the occasional 

 flickers (Colaptes puna) seen on the Titicacan side. (PL 2) 



Not a tree, nor indeed any suggestion of bushy growth, is seen; the 

 region is above the limit of cultivation and is typical Puna. 



About 20 kilometei-s north of the Pass, and nearly 2,000 feet below 

 it, barley and low hedges of cactus were first observed, and bushes 

 bordered the streams, indicating that we had reached the very tips of 

 the arms of the arid Temperate Zone which stretch upward into the 

 Puna Zone. 



We have had no collecting stations between La Raya and Cuzco, but 

 the presence in Whiteley's collections from Tinta (altitude 11,329 

 feet), about 12 kilometers north of Sicuani, of Diglossa h^unneiventris, 

 Tanagra darwini laeta, and Saltator alhociliaris supplies the ornitho- 

 logical evidence of the existence of the arid Temperate Zone at this 

 point. 



Near Huambutio the railway leaves the Urubam.ba to ascend the 

 Rio Huatanay to Cuzco. We did not see the Urubamba again until 

 we reached it at the mouth of the Huaracondo Canyon (altitude 9,800 

 feet) well within the limits of the arid Temperate Zone. However, 

 Watkins's collections from Pisac (altitude 10,060 feet) and Calca (alti- 

 tude 9,957 feet), both on the Urubamba, acquaint us with the char- 

 acter of the fauna of the intervening coimtry. 



Our route from Cuzco lay slightly north of west through Ttica-Ttica, 

 Puquiura, the Pampa of Anta, and Huaracondo, whence we descended 

 the canyon of that name. (PI. 3 .) 



After leaving Ttica-Ttica (altitude 11,900 feet) we traversed a 

 rather flat country with a general elevation of 1 1,200 feet and bounded 

 by grass-covered rolling hills, broken here and there by barrancas. 



The region has been under cultivation for centuries. An occasional 

 tree was seen on the hilltops, but if a forest ever existed here, it has 

 long since disappeared, and the train after train of wood-laden 

 burros which one passes show that the ceaseless demand for fuel is 

 now supplied from farther down the valley. 



The hillsides have some stunted, bushy growth which attains the 

 size of small trees along the borders of stream.s in the barrancas. 



Faunally the region is still one of interpenetration of the Puna and 

 arid Temperate Zones, the former occupying the open country, the 

 latter confined largely to the growth in the barrancas, as is described 

 more fully beyond. 



Soon after leaving the tableland at Pluaracondo we quicldy 

 descended 1,000 feet down the trail leading to the bottom of the 

 Huaracondo Canyon where a rushing river offers a suitable home 

 for dippers (Cinclus) and torrent ducks {Merganetta). 



