14 Al<EXAXDER G. RuTIIVKN 



the cliff along the course of the little stream, which seemed to be the only- 

 feasible mode of ascent to the heights above. The top was reached after 

 an hour of hard climbing, and another lake, a small and shallow one, was 

 discovered there, from which stretched a comparatively gentle slope up to 

 the snows. Respiration now became more and more difficult, and halts 

 more frequent and longer. Our native helper succumbed to mountain sick- 

 ness and was of little use until the following day, after we had descended 

 below 12,000 feet. At last the snow was reached and its glittering slopes 

 ascended for some distance, to an altitude of approximately 17,500 feet. 

 To our keen disappointment, we now discovered that further advance along 

 this route was impossible, for here began a knife-edge ridge of jagged rock 

 which extended nearly a mile to the slopes of the main snow peak, the pas- 

 sage of which appeared an utter impossibility. To approach the heights 

 above from any other direction meant a descent of at least 2,000 feet into 

 another valley opening out toward the north, in which lay another fairly- 

 large lake. From this valley an uninterrupted slope leads up to the highest 

 point of the Nevada. Such a detour meant at least another day, or even 

 two, and w-e had insufficient food to make the attempt. We turned back 

 and spent the rest of the day shooting in the valley below snow-line, where 

 birds of several species were fairly common, one of which was the strikingly 

 handsome humming-bird Oxypogon cyanolaema, which feeds largely on 

 the flowers of the "Frailejon," and which is peculiar to the Sierras of Santa 

 Marta. In the little stream above the upper lake we discovered numerous 

 individuals of a fine new amphibian, later described by Dr. Ruthven as 

 Atelopns carrikeri. On the shores of Lake Macotama was taken a single 

 specimen of our beautiful North American warbler, Geothlypis tn'chas, the 

 first record for South America. 



After another disagreeable night on the shores of Lake Macotama, 

 we started back to San Miguel, collecting along the w-ay, and reached camp 

 without mishap late that evening. I afterwards made another trip to the 

 lake with my himter, sleeping the first night a short distance below the 

 lake, where we had a more comfortable camp, and on the second night in 

 an Indian hut at 11,000 feet. On this trip the paramos between 11,000 and 

 15,000 feet were thoroughly worked and much valuable material collected. 



I<ater in April, after a few showers had warned us that the rains were 

 near, we broke camp, sent to Pueblo A^iejo for oxen (the chief still being 

 disgruntled), and started for the coast, where we arrived in four days. 

 From Dibulla w'e proceeded by canoe to Riohacha, reaching there in one 

 night's travel. A week was spent at Riohacha in strenuous collecting. The 

 intense dry heat of the sandy wastes and low scrub around the town were 

 very trying, after having descended so rapidly from the cold temperature 

 of the high altitudes, and we found it impossible to stay out after 9:30 

 A. M. Fortunately, the thorny scrub surrounding the town was fairly 

 swarming with birds, so that with three hours' shooting enough material 

 was secured between the two of us to keep all hands busy the remainder of 

 the day in preparing it. 



A few more days of collecting would have been desirable, but a schooner 



