: ORNITHOLOGY Of THE ORINOCO REGION. 193 



above. They are ovate, one somewhat elongate, and measure 

 19.5 x 14.75, 19-5 x : 4-75 and 21.5 x 14.25 mm. respectively. 



Another set of eggs collected July ist, also at Caicara, were 

 taken from a nest found at the bottom of a natural cavity in a large 

 tree. The nest body is composed of strips of soft inner bark mixed 

 here and there with tufts of cotton, while in the lining there is a con- 

 siderable quantiy of horse-hair-like vegetable fibres, the whole com- 

 pactly woven into a cup that measures 4 cm. in depth by 6 cm. in diameter 

 inside. 



The eggs taken with this nest were four in number and perfectly 

 fresh. One is similar in every way to other examples seen and 

 described, but the remaining three are so thickly and uniformly 

 speckled over the entire surface with brown of a shade varying from 

 an olive to a clove brown as almost to conceal the whitish ground 

 color. They measure respectively 19.5 x 14, 19.5 x 14.5, 19.75 x J 5 

 and 20.25 x J 4-5 mm. 



SICALIS COLUMBIANA COLUMBIANA Cabanis. 



Sycalis columbiana Cab., Mus. Hein. I. 1850. p. 147; Berlepsch, Ibis, 

 1884. p. 433; Berlepsch & Hartert, p. 28. 



Native name Arrocero pequena. Common, frequenting the bor- 

 ders of ponds and streams and keeping together in small flocks, 

 except during the nesting season. An adult female taken April 5th 

 had but one foot; the other, having been amputated just below the 

 heel, had healed perfectly. 



An adult female (No. 13,943 Cherrie Coll. Caicara, June 

 1 9th), is dusky olive brown above with faint shaft lines to the back 

 feathers ; head lighter brown ; wing-coverts like the back. Edges of outer 

 coverts olive green. Quills and tail-feathers dusky brown, edged with 

 olive yellowish on outer webs-. Below, grayish brown, paler on chin 

 and upper throat and whitish in centre of belly; faint dusky shaft 

 streaks on breast and flanks. Under tail-coverts' pale yellowish. 

 Axillaries pale yellowish. Under wing-coverts dusky olive yellow. 



An immature male taken May 29th resembles the female but is 

 appreciably darker, richer colored above, below a trifle lighter, with 

 the dusky shaft streaks on the breast more prominent. There are a 

 few yellowish feathers about the corners of the mouth. A second 

 immature male taken June Hth has the upper parts like the female but 

 with brighter olive yellow edgings to wing quills and rectrices. 



