Todd-Caeriker : Birds of Santa Marta Region, Colombia. 521 



always on the ground, where they run about in search of seeds. They 

 have a low, chirping call-note. Only one flock, from which but one 

 bird was secured, was found in the Sierra Nevada, on the mountain- 

 side between San Miguel and Taquina. Mr. Brown most probably 

 secured his specimens in the grassy hills near Onaca. 



500. Sicalis flaveola flaveola (Linnaeus). 



Sycalis brasiliensis Wyatt^ Ibis, 1871, 115, 328 (Santa Marta). 



SyccUis flaveola Sclater, Ibis, 1872, 41 (Santa Marta, ex Wyatt; crit.). — 



Salvin and Godman, Ibis, 1880, 123 (Santa Marta). — Sharps, Cat. Birds 



Brit. Mus., XII, 1888, 377 (Santa Marta). — Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. 



Hist., XIII, 1900, 165 (Bonda, Cienaga, and Cacagualito) . 

 Sicalis flaveola Chapman, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., XXXVI, 1917, S^S 



"Santa Marta "). 



Additional records: Tucurinca (Carriker). 



Thirty-one specimens : Bonda, Cienaga, Rio Hacha, Gaira, Mama- 

 toco, and Fundacion. 



There can be no question that the adult female of this species is like 

 the adult male, averaging merely a little duller in color, but often quite 

 indistinguishable. In first nuptial dress both sexes are much duller, 

 the pileum and back shaded with ashy, and the under parts ashy white, 

 with a band of dull yellow across the breast. This is the plumage at- 

 tributed to the adult female by Sharpe, although not without qualifica- 

 tion. Not one of the extensive series of adults examined shows any 

 indication of streaking on the flanks. 



This beautiful finch was met with both by Wyatt and by Simons in 

 the immediate vicinity of Santa Marta, the latter author remarking 

 that it was common near houses and in gardens, and very tame. It 

 appears to be a species of the Lower Tropical Zone, being confined to 

 the lowlands, and most numerous in the semi-arid portions. It was 

 fairly common about Fundacion, and quite numerous at Rio Hacha, 

 while a few were noted at Fonseca and Valencia, but none at either 

 Don Diego or Dibulla. It is a bird of the more open country, being 

 partial to .shrubbery and scattered tree-growth, and occurs usually in 

 pairs, small flocks, or family groups. 



501. Phrygilus unicolor nivarius (Bangs). 



Phrygilus unicolor (not Emberiza unicolor D'Orbigny and Lafresnaye) Salvin 

 and Godman, Ibis, 1880, 122 (Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, 9,200 to 

 12,800 feet; crit.). — Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., XII, 1888, 792 (Sierra 

 Nevada de Santa Marta). 



