CHERRIE: ORNITHOLOGY OF THE ORINOCO REGION. 1/3 



The nesting season on the Upper Orinoco begins in December, 

 while on the middle stretches of the river from Caicara downward, 

 breeding does not begin before the first of April. 



A nest of this species taken at Quiribana de Caicara April gih, 

 was taken from the branches of one of the small scrub oaks that 

 grow scattered over the open savanna. It was about 2.4 m. from the 

 ground amid a cluster of small branches, and admirably concealed 

 by green leaves from above and on the sides. The outer walls of the 

 nest were constructed almost entirely of leaf stems; the lining con- 

 sisted of very fine, hair-like grass and rootlets together with a few bits 

 of greenish-white lichens. There were two eggs, both incubated, 

 only one of which was saved. In "color this was a "whitish-brown," 

 finely speckled all over, but more thickly on the larger end, with 

 rufous brown. It measured 20 x 15.1 mm. 



A nest collected at Maipures on the Qth of January, was held 

 between the slender tips of the upright branches of a dwarf scrub 

 oak, which had found a scanty foothold between rocks near the 

 river bank. It was only about 1.5 metres from the ground, was 

 similar in construction to the nest described above, but had a number 

 of half decayed leaves woven into the body of the nest, all bound 

 together with cobwebs. This nest measures, outside 8.2 cm. diameter 

 by 6.5 cm. depth ; inside 5 cm. diameter by 3.4 cm. depth. In the 

 black hair-like vegetable fibres of the inner lining are several 

 bits of greenish-white lichens. The two eggs are ovate in form and 

 measure 20x15.2 mm. In color they are a soiled white, thickly 

 marked all over with fine specks and dots of a shade of brown between 

 vandyke and chestnut which are so closely set about the larger end 

 as to form a band. In one egg the specks and spots are much larger 

 and more prominent than in the other. Not more than two eggs 

 were found in each of more than a dozen nests examined, so that two 

 is probably a normal clutch. 



TANGARA MEXICANA MEDIA (Berlepsch & Hartert). 

 Calliste mexicana media Berlepsch & Hartert, Novit. Zool. IX. 1902. 

 p. 19. (Type, Tring Museum, Maipures, Orinoco River.) 

 This form of Tangara which is intermediate in coloration 

 between T. mexicana mexicana from Cayenne and T. mexicana vieilloti 

 of Trinidad and the delta region of the Orinoco, was common at 

 Perico, at the foot of the falls of Atures, and as far beyond as I col- 

 lected on the upper Orinoco. It is often mentioned in my notes. 



