1869.] MESSRS. SCLATER AND SALVIN ON PERUVIAN BIRDS. 597 
first of these was formed in the Cosnipata valley, the second in his 
former collecting-grounds round Tinta. 
The valley of Cosnipata, which is well shown in the map attached 
to Mr. Markham’s ‘ Travels in Peru and India,’ is situated on the 
eastern slope of the Andes of Caravaya, and is drained by the river 
of the same name, which is an affluent of the Madre di Dios, until 
recently supposed to flow into the Purus, but now believed to pour 
its waters into the Beni+. 
Mr. Whitely has written a letter to General Lefroy concerning his 
expedition into this valley, from which, by the kindness of that gen- 
tleman, we have been enabled to extract the following particulars. 
Mr. Whitely left Tinta on the 12th of August, 1868, and arrived 
at Cusco on the 17th. From Cusco he proceeded, after a short 
stay, to Paucartambo on the river of that name (elevation 9400 feet). 
Leaving Paucartambo on the 31st with an arriero and one Indian he 
ascended the bare ridge of the Andes, and after various adventures 
reached Tres Cruces, at the summit of the pass (elevation 11,900 
feet), on the 2nd September. Next day he commenced the descent 
into the valley of Cosnipata, finding the road so bad and stony that 
he was compelled to walk the whole eighteen miles down to San 
Pedro, a recent settlement consisting of two new wooden huts. On 
the 4th he descended the valley five leagues further, to the hacienda of 
Cosnipata. 
This is described as a clearing about a mile long by a mile broad, 
and consisting of some twelve wooden huts, with about thirty work- 
people, more than two-thirds women. The principal products are 
coca, coffee, and cocoa. The houses are in a wretched condition of 
decay, and, if not better looked after, must in the course of a few 
years inevitably fall into the hands of the Chunchos. Mr. Whitely 
computes the height of Cosnipata as 2350 feet above the sea-level, 
but descended the valley to some huts of Chuncho Indians which are 
only 1650 feet above the sea-level. 
After remaining in the valley three months, as the rainy season 
had set in, Mr. Whitely set out to return to Paucartambo. The 
journey back was frightful, as the rain was pouring down in torrents, 
and he had to ascend the mountain for eighteen miles on foot. He 
accomplished the ascent in two days, and reached Paucartambo on 
the 30th of November, 1868, in safety. 
The Cosnipata collection contains about 80 skins, amongst which 
are examples of the following species, namely :— 
I. Passeres. 8. Ramphocelus jacapa. 
1. Hirundo erythrogastra. 9. Saltator azare. 
2. leucorrhoa. 10. Orchesticus ater. 
*3. Neochelidon tibialis. 11. Spermophila luctuosa. 
4. Proenias occidentalis. 12. castaneiventris. 
5. Calliste eyaneicollis. 13. Volatinia jacarina. 
6. Tanagra ceelestis. 14. Coturniculus peruanus. 
fie striata. 15. Chrysomitris capitalis, Cab, 
+ Cf Chandlers, J. R. G. 8. xxxvi. p. 114. 
