i8q7^^J Phelps, Birds observed in Venezuela. 357 



Nucifraga columbiana. — Probably owing to the identity of their 

 principal winter food this species and the Crossbill were coincidentally 

 abundant during the winter of 1894-95, very rare during that of 1895-96, 

 and again common during so much of the winter of 1S96-97 as I was at 

 the fort, these periods being marked by the abundance or failure of the 

 crop of cones of a common pine, upon the seeds of which both species 

 chiefly fed. At other seasons Clark's Nutcracker appeared irregularly, 

 probably wandering down from the surrounding hills, as, early in July, I 

 saw several families on the higher parts of Mica Peak. For the first time 

 in my experience in the Northwest I found this usually shy and suspicious 

 bird to be quite tame in winter, visiting the yards of the houses for such 

 sci-aps as were to be found ; and they were especially fond of pecking at 

 bones left on the surface of the snow by dogs. Several were caught by 

 cats and one by a soldier in his hands. 



{To be londuded.) 



BIRDS OBSERVED ON A COLLECTING TRIP TO 

 BERMUDEZ, VENEZUELA. 



BY WILLIAM HENRY PHELPS. 



With Critical N'otes and Descriptions of Two A^eiv Species, by Frank 



M. C/iapinan. 



In the year 1877 Dr. Adolf o Ernst 1 of Caracas divided Vene- 

 zuela into four avifaunal districts : Eastern, Central, Cordilleran, 

 and Lowland. The first comprises the group of mountains lying 

 in the northeastern corner of the country, and is separated from 

 the central district by the low country about Barcelona. The 

 central district comprises the mountainous region along the 

 northern coast, as far west as Barquisimeto. The high mountains 

 to the west of this point are cordilleran and have affinities with 

 the fauna of Colombia. The lowland region comprises all of 

 that rolling country of plains and forests lying between this 

 mountainous region of the north and the Orinoco River. The 

 birds south of the river are Brazilian in their affinities and are 



' Estudios sobre la Flora y Fauna de Venezuela. Caracas. 1877, p. 2S7. 



