BIRDS OF NORTHERN VENEZUELA — WETMORE 197 



Similar to robinsoni but definitely larger, wiiig, male 142.9 (one speci- 

 men from Capds, 2,500 m., Merida region, Venezuela), 



Temperate zone of eastern Andes in Colombia (Bogota savanna) 

 to the Merida region of Venezuela. 



This survey does not include other forms described from the Andean 

 region and from Brazil, According to this two forms are definitely 

 recorded from Venezuela, with probability of a third. 



SCARDAFELLA SQUAMMATA RIDGWAYI Richmond 



Scardafella ridgwayi Richmond, Proc. U, S. Nat. Mus., vol. 18, Aug. 12, 1896, 

 p. 660 (Margarita Island, Venezuela). 



Near Ocumare de la Costa this small, long-tailed dove was fairly 

 common from October 23 to 30, man}'^ were seen in driving from 

 Maracay to El Sombrero November 12, and in the vicinity of El 

 Sombrero they were common from November 13 to 21. They feed 

 on the ground in the shelter of dry scrub, often near trails or other 

 openings, in pairs or groups of three or four. They fly with a con- 

 siderable flutter of wings to concealed perches among Umbs where 

 their position is often indicated by a rapid up-and-down motion of 

 the tail. While fairly tame it was often difl&cult to see them, as they 

 flew or walked among the branches to keep behind cover as I ap- 

 proached. The call is a rapid coo coo coo rather strongly accented^ 

 while an alai-m note is guttural and explosive. 



An adult and an immature male were taken near Ocumare de la 

 Costa on October 26, and a female near El Sombrero on November 16. 



Exammation of a considerable series verifies the conclusions of 

 HeUmayr ^^ as to the character and distribution of this race. In a 

 fair series, including the type of ridgwayi, birds from Margarita Island 

 do not seem separable from those of the Venezuelan mainland. ^^ The 

 specimens from Margriata seen are somewhat more heavily barred 

 with black above and below, but many skins from scattered localities 

 in Venezuela are identical. Probably with more specimens the 

 apparent preponderance of heavier markings from the insular locality 

 would disappear. 



COLUMBIGALUNA PAS9ERINA ALBIVITTA (Bonaparte) 



Chamaepelia albivitia Bonaparte, Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. Paris, vol. 40, 1855, 

 p. 21 (Cartagena, Colombia). 



Near Ocumare de la Costa these small doves were common through 

 the dry scrubs, and as I passed they flushed constantly from the ground 

 or from perches in the trees to fly swif tlj^ with a flash of reddish brown 



" Nov. Zool., vol. 15, June 1908, pp. 92-93. 



" See Berlepsch and Hartert, Nov. Zool., vol. 9, Apr. 1902, pp. 119-120. 



