"SOO Phelps, Birds observed in Vetiezuela. \^\ 



the last time, as it cannot exist at any great distance from the 

 sea. Ahnost completely enclosing this valley are hills and 

 mountains, rising to a height of several thousand feet. These 

 present a peculiar appearance as many of them are completely 

 clothed by long grass with no traces of forest. Others are heavily 

 wooded even to their summits. Cumanacoa being at an altitude 

 of about looo feet has an agreeable climate. The nights are cool 

 enough to make a blanket desirable while the heat is not oppres- 

 sive during the day. 



As might be expected, many of the birds inhabiting the coastal 

 scrub were here absent. Many species were also found here 

 which were not met with south of the watershed of the Caribbean 

 and Gulf of Parian waters. This height of land lies about fifteen 

 miles south of Cumanacoa. My stay in this locality was two 

 weeks, from June 29 to July 12. 



San Antonio. — Beyond the watershed to the southeast, the 

 same distance from Cumanacoa as the latter is from Cumana, is 

 San Antonio. Instead of a broad, flat valley planted with cane, 

 there is a small village nestled in a narrow valley with mountains 

 rising precipitously on both sides. A rapid stream flows on its 

 way to the Gulf of Paria instead of to the Caribbean Sea. The 

 sides of the mountains are planted with coffee, the chief wealth of 

 the region. A few miles to the west is Mt. Turumiquire, the 

 highest peak in this group of mountains. San Antonio itself is 

 somewhat higher than Cumanacoa, probably about 1500 feet. 



The avifauna, although quite similar to that of Cumanacoa, 

 seems to have a strong infusion of species from the south ; from 

 the Orinoco lowlands. These have followed up the Guarapiche 

 River, but go no further north than its headwaters. As would be 

 expected, the number of species peculiar to this southern water- 

 shed is much greater than the number found in Cumanacoa and 

 not in San Antonio. My stay in San Antonio was twenty days, 

 from July 14 to August 2. 



Gua7iaguana and Caripe. — From San Antonio I took a trip of 

 five days, August 3-7, to these towns, which lie to the southeast 

 and east. The special object of this trip was to visit the famous 

 Guacharo cave of Humboldt, where that traveller discovered the 

 remarkable bird Steatornis caripensis. Thus I reached the same 



