549 



fur, in haying the hairy portion at the base of the tail much shorter, 

 and in being altogether somewhat smaller. The following is Mr. 

 Fraser's note on this specimen : — "Had five young in her pouch, 

 each 3 inches long. Nose, chin, and latter half of the tail flesh- 

 coloured ; ears black. Stomach contained bones of a small mammal, 

 and a pulp containing vegetable substance. Eyes black. Xivaro 

 name, ' Tinchna.' " 



The young ones have the terminal two-thirds of the tail white ; 

 but the flesh-coloured "latter half of the tail" in the mother 

 is not now very apparent. From the fact of the pouch containing 

 young ones of considerable size, we may suppose that the animal is 

 adult, and that the differences above-mentioned are not attributable 

 to immaturity. This strengthens the idea of its distinctness as a 

 species, of which 1 have no doubt, and shall take an early opportu- 

 nity to say more about it. 



2. On the Birds collected by Mr. Fraser in the vicinity 



OF RlOBAMBA, IN THE REPUBLIC OF ECUADOR. By PHILIP 

 LUTLEY SCLATER. 



(Aves, PL CXLVI.) 



Mr. Fraser arrived at Riobamba from Cuenca in the beginning of 

 June last, and stopped about a month in the neighbourhood, passing 

 again on his return southwards from Quito in August. Riobamba 

 is situated at an elevation of about 10,000 feet above the sea-level 

 on the lofty plateau lying between the bifurcated range of the Andes. 

 It is on the Atlantic water-slope, being placed on an upper branch 

 of the Rio Pastassa, one of the confluents of the Amazon, and is 

 well known as having been the seat of the great earthquake of 1794, 

 which destroyed 30,000 lives, and was, according to Humboldt. " one 

 of the most terrible phsenomena which have occurred in the physical 

 history of our globe." Besides collecting at Riobamba itself, Mr. 

 Fraser made expeditions to several places in its vicinity, namely 

 Guano, Pinipi, Matos, Titiacun, and Punin. Guano lies 1|- league 

 N.N.E. of Riobamba, Pinipi 4 leagues N.E. by E., and Matos a little 

 more northwards, a league farther on. Titiacun is a league beyond 

 Chambo, which lies 3 leagues E.S.E. of Riobamba, and is high up 

 on the sides of the Volcano " El Altar." Mr. Fraser says^jjiat his 

 shooting-ground here was within one league o£-pefpetual snow. 

 Punin is situated nearly due south of Riobamba,' and not more than 

 2 leagues distant from that city, judging by Villavicencio's map. 

 On the whole, the places, where the present collection was formed, 

 lying near together, the sixty species of birds hereafter enumerated 

 may be taken to give a good idea of the general character of the 

 ornithology of this elevated plateau, concerning which heretofore 

 absolutely nothing has been known. 



As in my previous communication upon Mr. Fraser's collections, 

 I have made frequent extracts from his notes upon the colours of the 

 soft parts, food, habits, &c. 



