1867.] MESSRS. SCLATER AND SALVIN ON PERUVIAN BIRDS. 98.3 



a glimpse of Arequipa. What a glorious sight it was, with its white 

 stone houses, and the green fields extending for miles round the 

 city. Arequipa is /BOO feet above the sea, and a distance of ninety 

 miles from Islay. The journey took me twenty-four hours, and I 

 was rather tired when I arrived." 



(Letter IV., Arequipa.) "On the 15th of July Mr. Gibson and 

 myself started for a trip to Salinas, a salt-lake at an elevation of 

 14,000 feet. We had three servants with us and two pack-mules. 

 At some distance from Islay we commenced to ascend, and arrived 

 the first day at the village of Chihuata, at an elevation of 9000 feet. 

 Here we were hospitably received in the house of one of the resi- 

 dents, and slept the night. The next morning we started early ; and 

 now commenced the worst part of the journey, the road being a 

 gradual ascent of mountains for 5300 feet. The way, however, was 

 enlivened by the sight of numerous birds, and especially, for some 

 2000 feet, by the movements of the Giant Humming-bird {Patagona 

 gi(jas). 



" On arriving at the highest part of our journey, a glorious sight 

 burst on our view, the volcano being in active eruption, and vast 

 volumes of smoke coming up from the crater and spreading over 

 the country. We had now to descend about 300 feet, and came 

 upon the lake, which was nearly all dried up, and was quite dazzling 

 to the sight, the whole surface being covered with layers of salt. 

 After a ride of about six miles round the lake, we came to some 

 Indian huts, and also a small chapel, where we intended to sleep. 

 By this time it was getting dark and very cold. The next day we 

 had some shooting, and got some Ducks and also three Flamingos, 

 but unfortunately they had the hind toe*. I will not trouble you 

 with all details ; it is sufficient to say we shot altogether ninety-five 

 birds, out of which I selected the best for preserving. 



" We stayed here two days, and then returned to Chihuata, slept 

 there the night, and the next morning I was out early and shot a 

 large Humming-bird {Patagona gigas), the dark one with the patch 

 of green upon the throat (Metal/ia-a cupreicauda), and the one with 

 the green throat and chestnut patch on the belly {Oreofrochilus 

 estella). We returned the same day to Arequipa." 



The specimens of birds collected by Mr. Whitely at Islay and 

 Arequipa and during the above-mentioned excursion to Salinas be- 

 long to fifty-eight species, of which a list is subjoined. Although 

 mostly species of great interest and some rarity, there is little actually 

 new to science amongst them. 



They are mostly species described in D'Orbigny's well-known 

 'Voyage,' and iuTschndi's 'Fauna Peruana.' Many Chilian species 

 also extend thus far north ; and the general aspect of the avifauna 

 of Western Peru is decidedly Chilian, having no features in common 

 with the eastern wood- region of Peru. We reserve, however, our 

 general remarks on this subject until the receipt of further collections, 

 which will give us more materials for forming a judgment on it. 



* I had particularly requested Mr. Whitely to look out for PhoeaicopU-rm an- 

 dinus, which has no hind toe. — P. L. S. 



