^^^^•J Chapman, Distribution of BirdAife in Colomtna. 43 



transition, with innumerable Black Merulas and the common Song Sparrow 

 {Brachyspiza). The trail next crosses two ridges at 8000 and 9000 feet 

 respectively, the nature of the country and paramo remaining practically 

 the same. It then ascends the' third and last ridge very steeply to the Pass 

 at 10,500 feet, and then descends more gradually into the Valle de Pappas 

 at 9900 feet. This last ridge is covered with the moss forest similar to the 

 one above Almaguer; the forest extending down to 9600 feet with its flora 

 and fauna the same so far as observed. 



"From the Pass, the valley appears perfectly flat, with patches of forest 

 and open meadow through which endlessly winds a fair-sized stream. The 

 valley is perhaps a mile and a half wide, and the mountains all about it so 

 far as could be seen through the clouds covered with dense forest. Above 

 this forest again on all the higher peaks and ridges was another area of 

 strict Paramo covering their tops, at this time now covered with snow. 

 The stream was called by the Indians the " Cosiacu" and said to be the head- 

 waters of the Caqueta. 



"Descending into the valley, the vegetation is found to be similar to 

 that of the Paramo of Santa Isabel, although here at an altitude of but 

 9900-11,000 feet, long sedges with numerous similar herbaceous plants and 

 bushes, and numerous "frailejones" W^re scattered about; at intervals occur 

 small clumps of forest similar to the^t at the edge of the Paramo of Santa 

 Isabel. The trail, where it has been repaired with brown soil and guide 

 logs, is very good, but in other places. Where composed of black muck, the 

 natural soil, it is almost impassable foi: the mules. Here we staid ten days, 

 finding quarters in one room of a finca, to which we had been recommended 

 by its owner in Almaguer. 



" The fauna of this valley, while containing very few new forms, is very 

 interesting. As contrasted with) Almaguer, where the birds were just 

 commencing to nest, here nidifica.'^on was about completed for most species. 

 Trees had ceased flowering, and most of the Hummingbirds had disappeared. 



"We left the Valle April 3, on the trail for San Agustin. The trail leads 

 practically northeast upward steeply in places, and very rocky, until the 

 top of the Paramo is reached at 12,300 feet. It was extremely rainy and 

 foggy so that we could not see far, but it was very noticeable that there 

 was no sharp line to tree growth as at Santa Isabel. One looks down into 

 narrow valley covered with Paramo vegetation, while all about the moun- 

 tains are heavily forested in places probably up to 13,000 feet; but even 

 on these wooded slopes the forest is not continuous, but here and there occur 

 patches of the Paramo vegetation scattered about rather miscellaneously — 

 their presence perhaps determined by the nature of the soil rather than the 

 altitude alone. Most of these 'Paramo Valleys' appear to me to be the 



