1869. ] ON VENEZUELAN BIRDS. 251 
excursions from San Esteban, near Puerto Cabello, where he has 
been lately resident. 
The collection contains altogether fifty-six species of birds, most 
of which are already well known as inhabitants of this part of the 
continent of South America. There are, however, several of great 
interest among them, and one in particular, a new species of Jacamar, 
which appears to have been hitherto undescribed. 
The following extracts from a letter recently received from Mr. 
Goering will give the Society some information concerning the loca- 
lities which he has lately explored, and the route which he is now 
intending to follow :—. 
«« The Lake of Valencia seems to be a station for birds which come 
from the Ilanos and from the river-districts of the south of Vene- 
zuela. When the swamps and the llanos are dry, thousands of birds 
resort to it. There is, however, great difficulty in obtaining a boat 
for the purpose of shooting, nearly all of them having been demo- 
lished during the recent revolution. The mountains on the south of 
the lake (the Serro Azul of Guiguc) are tenanted by the same birds 
as the coast-range ; but the vegetation is not so rank, and the species 
of small size appear to be less numerous. San Esteban is situated 
about six English miles inland from Puerto Cabello, in a valley, 
through which runs a small river. Most of the birds obtained here 
are different from those found in eastern Venezuela, where my first 
collections were formed. It is singular that Cardinalis pheenicens, 
so common near Cartipano, is very rare here. I have never seen 
this bird on the hills, but only on the plains near the coast, which 
are covered with a simple vegetation of Mimosa, Cactus, &c. .The 
Chasmorhynchus variegatus is common here, but only during the 
months of April and May. It is also abundant in tlie forests of 
Caripé; and this spot seems to be nearly the extreme limit of its 
western range. 
«« Speaking of Caripé, I may mention that the Steatornis is not 
only found in the well-known cave near that city, visited by Hum- 
boldt, but also inhabits several other caverns in the forests situated 
to the south-east. I visited three of these, and found one of them 
much larger than the cave of Caripé. It was eight English miles in 
extent, and every part of it seemed to be inhabited by thousands of 
this wonderful bird. It is very impressive when, at sunset, they 
leave their subterranean abodes, and make the forest resound with 
their shrill cries.” 
Mr. Goering contemplates moving his quarters into the Sierra 
Nevada of Merida, to which district he will proceed by Maracaibo 
and Zulier. 
The following is a list of the species contained in Mr. Goering’s 
present collection, to which are added notes upon such of them as 
call for remark :— 
Name. Locality. 
1. Donacobius atricapillus.........6000+-20000 Lake of Valencia. 
2. Henicocichla noveboracensis .......-..++++- Maruria, north of the lake. 
3. Dendreca @Sttvd  .... ec. sce ec neers ee eneen ees S. side of the Lake of Valencia. 
