330 Annals of the Carnegie Museum. 



remarks on this difference, suggesting that it may be of specific value, 

 but after examining his specimens in connection with ours we think it 

 is mainly seasonal. This is indicated by No. 44,573 (Don Diego, Janu- 

 ary 28), which has rectrices of both colors, the new ones being the 

 darker. The color of the bill seems to vary also with the season, be- 

 ing darker in June specimens. 



The type-specimen of this Attila was taken at Minca by Mr. Smith, 

 and two other examples at Valparaiso (now Cincinnati). It was not 

 detected by the w.riter so high up as the latter place, however, although 

 found on all sides of the Sierra Nevada, from sea-level up to 2,500 

 feet. It. seemed to be most numerous at Minca, but was a rare bird 

 everywhere. It has a loud, very characteristic call-note, which is 

 easily recognized and would be remarked at. once were the bird pres- 

 ent. It was found only in the forest, usually among the middle 

 branches of the trees, neither very high nor low. 



280. Attila rufipectus nifipectus Allen. 



Attila rufipectus Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist, XIII, 1900, 121, 153 (Las 

 Nubes; orig. descr. ; type in coll. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist.). — Sharps, Hand- 

 List Birds, III, 1901, 169 (ref. orig. descr.; range). ^Dubois, Syn. Avium, 

 II, 1903. 1074 ("Santa Marta," in range; ref. orig. descr.). — Ridgway, 

 Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 50, IV, '1907, 803 (diag. ; range; ref. orig. 

 descr.). — Beaeouene and Chubb, Birds S. Am., I, 1912, 319 (ref. orig. 

 descr.; range). 



The type-specimen of this species was collected by one of Mr. 

 Smith's party at Las Nubes (altitude 5,000 feet) on December i, 

 1898, and so far remains unique. In the color of the upper surface it 

 is close to some specimens of A. parvirostris, but is more rufescent, 

 with the rump darker; the under parts, however, are very different,, 

 being decidedly deeper in color, only the chin and abdomen being 

 paler, and the chin and throat with barely indicated streaks. The 

 wings and tail are about the same. More recently Mr. Cory {Field 

 Museum Ornithological Series, I, 1913, 289) has described an Attila 

 from the State of Zulia, Venezuela, which he considers to be a sub- 

 species of the present form. In view of the proximity of the locality 

 from which this form comes, and of the great degree of individual 

 variation known to obtain in the present group, it would be well to 

 accept this disposition of the Venezuelan bird with caution, pending- 

 the receipt of additional material. 



