Todd-Carriker : Birds of Santa Marta Region, Colombia. 177 



very unlike respectively, that of C. alberti being extensively buffy 

 brownish below. 



The Albert Curassow is not a common bird anywhere in this region, 

 but is perhaps most numerous around Don Diego, or rather through- 

 out the humid lowlands of the north coast. It appears to belong to 

 the Tropical Zone, being found sparingly in the foothills and lower 

 mountain slopes of the San Lorenzo up to about 4,000 feet, but more 

 commonly below 2,000 feet. In its feeding habits it is mainly ter- 

 restrial, and is often flushed from the ground. 



Sclater and Salvin state that there is a Santa Marta specimen of this 

 species in the Paris Museum, received from M. Bonnecourt. It ap- 

 pears to have an extensive distribution in Colombia outside of the 

 Santa Marta region, but unfortunately there are only a few specimens 

 on record with definite localities attached. Mr. Smith sent in but three 

 examples (one adult and two chicks, taken in July), and Mr. Brown 

 but one. 



Family ARAMID^,. Courlans. 



78. Aramus scolopaceus scolopaceus (Gmelin). 



Four specimens : Bonda, Fundacion, Gaira, and Trojas de Cataca. 



This species (which has apparently not been recorded from Colom- 

 bia heretofore) was found in small numbers along the shores of the 

 Cienaga Grande and up the rivers flowing into it. Several were seen 

 also in a marshy pasture near Gaira, while Mr. Smith sent in a speci- 

 men labelled Bonda. The birds feed on the ground, but when disturbed 

 alight on tall trees. 



Family RALLID^. Rails. 'i 



79. Aramides cajaneus chiricote (Vieillot). 



Aramides cajanus (not Fulica cajanea Miiller) Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat, 

 Hist., XIII, 1900, 125 (Minca). 



Five specimens : Mamatoco, La Tigrera, Trojas de Cataca, and Fun- 

 dacion. 



These agree perfectly with a series from northern Venezuela, as 

 well as with another from Bolivia. Two Cayenne specimens, how- 

 ever, are obviously different, being more deeply colored throughout, 

 the back and scapulars medal-bronze rather than dark buffy olive. 

 The geographical variation in this species is still imperfectly under- 



