i8q7 1 Phelps, Birds observed in Venezuela. 3S9 



from Carupano, as far as Caripe. Unfortunately a large part of 

 this collection was lost in transportation. Mrs. H. H. Smith ^ 

 spent ten days at Carupano and El Pilar in November, 1891. 



I chose Cumand as my starting point, from where I penetrated 

 the interior almost to the Orinoco lowlands. 



Cumand. — Only three days were spent in collecting at this 

 place, August n, 12, and 14. The character of the soil and 

 vegetation of the country lying between the water's edge and the 

 summit of the range of hills, which lies about five miles back 

 from the coast, is totally different from what is found throughout 

 the mountainous interior. Although in this part of Venezuela it 

 rains nearly every day from June to October, this strip of land 

 along the coast seems to be freer from the rains and has the 

 appearance of a dry desert, owing to the character of the rock 

 and soil. There are no forests but in their place is cactus scrub 

 extending for miles in every direction, extremely difficult to pene- 

 trate except along the beaten paths. Besides the cactus there 

 is little vegetation except a stunted species of tree. The Man- 

 zanares River flows across this plain and into the sea at CumanA. 

 Along the very banks of this river are cocoanuts, bamboos and 

 large trees, but these only grow close to the water. 



As might be expected, this region has an avifauna peculiar to 

 itself. The following species seem to be characteristic of what 

 may be called the coastal zone : 



Cardinalis phoeniceus Doleromya fallax 



Euetheia omissa Scardafella squamosa 



Cumanacoa. — Twenty miles into the interior as the bird flies, 

 and twice that by the mule trail, lies the village of Cumanacoa. 

 A greater contrast to the coast region could hardly be imagined. 

 The town lies in the broad valley of the Manzanares River, 

 where, instead of a parched soil bearing nothing but cactus, there 

 is a rich black soil and a most luxuriant tropical vegetation. 

 Large plantations of sugar cane occupy this fertile valley. 

 Bamboo forests, the paradise of birds, lie in every direction. 

 Bananas grow in profusion, while the cocoanut is seen here for 



' Notice of some Venezuelan Birds collected by Mrs. H. H. Smith. By Dr. 

 J. A. Allen. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., 1S92, pp. 51-56. 



