THE PENELOPES. 231 
Range-—South America; vicinity of Tumbez, Western Peru. 
Habits—Mr. J. Stolzmann writes :—‘‘ This species, the 
only representative of the Family found on the Peruvian 
Coast, has now been almost exterminated. I have only seen 
it at Tumbez, where, thirty years ago, it was still common, and 
could be found close to the town; but, thanks to continual 
persecution, it has retired into the inaccessible mangroves, 
where I judged there were not more than fifteen pairs left. I 
gather, however, from what I have been told, that it is still to 
be found in all the valleys of the larger rivers from Northern 
Peru to the valley of Chicama. I have no doubt that it also 
occurs in the valleys of Lambayeque and Naucho (Rio de 
Safia), but it is everywhere rare and very shy. ‘They tell me 
that it also inhabits the mangroves at the mouth of the Zuru- 
milla, which forms the frontier between Peru and Ecuador ; 
and I am not sure that it does not occur in the neighbouring 
districts of the latter republic. The only certain find for this 
Penelope in the neighbourhood of Tumbez is the Isle of Con- 
deza, one of the numerous little islands in the delta of the 
iver. This island is entirely surrounded by an impenetrable 
wood of rhizophores, whilst the centre is covered with high 
bushes. This Pene/ofe spends the entire day in the inacces- 
sible thickets, only leaving them at sunrise and sunset to 
search for food amongst the trees (algarrobes). In January 
and February, which is the season in which we have looked 
for this bird, its principal food consisted of the black berries 
of a bush called Ze, but it also appears to eat the shoots of 
the algarrobes. 
“Ttis one of the most difficult birds to procure, but the easiest 
time to find it is in the early morning and at dusk, when it is 
feeding ; at other times of the day it is almost impossible to 
approach it. We were obliged to go to the island during the 
night; and, as it was then low tide, we had to take a dozen steps 
up to our knees in mud. On landing we were attacked by clouds 
of mosquitos, which abound at thisseason. . . . Suffice it to 
