Todd-Careiker : Birds of Santa Marta RegioNj Colombia. 321 



III, 1901, 6 (ref. orig. descr. ; range). — Dubois, Syn. Avium, 11, 1903, 1068 

 (ref. orig. descr.; range). — Brabourne and Chubb, Birds S. Am., I, 1912, 

 182 (ref. orig. descr.; range). — Chapman, Auk, XXXII, igis, 416 (Paramo 

 de Chiruqua and Paramo de Macotama; crit.), 422 (diag.),- 423 (meas.). 

 Scytalopus latebricola laiebricola Heilmayr, Orn. Monatsber., XXX, 1922, 56, 

 in text (Santa Martan localities; crit.). ^ 



Sixteen specimens : San Lorenzo, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta 

 (6,000 feet), Cerro de Caracas, Macotama, and Paramo de Mama- 

 rongo. 



This fine series amply confirms the characters assigned to the species, 

 heretofore known only from the type-series, as given in the original 

 description and later elucidated by Dr. Chapman. It is -very distinct 

 from 6". meridanus Hellmayr, as represented by Venezuelan speci- 

 mens (identified by Mr. Hellmayi») in the collection of the Carnegie 

 Museum, differing in larger size, higher, more compressed bill, and 

 darker coloration, with practically no white on the under parts. The 

 series includes two young birds from Cerro de Caracas, March 30, 

 moulting into the adult plumage. In juvenal dress the species is ap- 

 parently brown, each feather black centrally, giving a squamate or 

 barred appearance, as in S. argentifrons. Some of the July adults 

 have the feathers of the breast worn to shreds. 



This species was discovered by Mr. Brown on the Paramo de Chiru- 

 qua and Paramo de Macotama, at altitudes of from 11,000 to 12,000 

 feet. The explorations of the writer have shown that it is not strictly 

 confined to the Temperate Zone, however, but is found throughout the 

 Sierra Nevada from this region down to 8,000 feet at least, wherever 

 tangled thickets or woodland occurs. It has been traced westward to 

 the San Lorenzo, where it ranges still lower down, being fairly com- 

 mon above 7,000 feet, in the more open woodland and dense thickets. 

 Like the other members of the genus, it keeps on or near the ground, 

 and is most difficult to secure. 



Family COTINGIDyE. Cotingas. 



As pointed out by Mr. Ridgway, this family is certainly a . very 

 heterogeneous assemblage, and its exact limits uncertain. The char- 

 acter of the tarsal envelope, upon which he mainly relies for its 

 discrimination from related groups, appears to vary unduly, and that 

 such has any more taxonomic significance in the present case than has 



