68 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XXXVI, 



9°, on the Golfo de Uraba, altitude less than 1000 feet. Gradually, north 

 of the Paramillo, the range becomes lower and lower; in lat. 7|°, the highest 

 peak, called Alto Esmeralda, does not exceed 4000 feet; and the Abibe, a few 

 miles further north, attains an altitude of only 3600 feet. Beyond this the 

 range is described as being mere hills. 



" A new road has just been completed from Turbo on the Gulf of Uruba 

 (Darien) to Monteria, on the Rio Sinti. This cuts right across the country 

 about which we know the least, and I was interested to learn two facts: — ■ 

 the highest point in the road is 800 feet, and, every mile of the distance was 

 cut through heavy, primeval forest. This, it would seem, provides for an 

 easy passage for Atrato forms to the Cauca, at least to such forms (forest) 

 which can ascend up to 800 feet; and this the collections from Puerto Val- 

 divia and Alto Bonito should prove. However, I believe that forms which 

 adhere strictly to the coast country, that is to the forest growing in the 

 perpetual rain-belt, would be barred to a great extent from entering the 

 Cauca, for, from all I can learn, the Cerro Aguila extends to the very coast 

 notwithstanding that it is not so marked on our map.' 



"After having entered the forests of the Cauca, there should be no ob- 

 stacle to prevent birds entering the Magdalena forests, via the mouth of the 

 Cauca and the San Jorge which furnish a natural connecting link." 



Auxiliary Collections. 



Satisfactory determination of the specimens secured by our expedition 

 in Colombia has been greatly facilitated by comparison with collections 

 already existing in the Museum, or with others which have been recently 

 made primarily for use in this connection. Under the first head should be 

 mentioned the Lawrence Collection with its numerous types, and, particu- 

 larly, the H. H. Smith Santa Marta collection. This contains some 3000 

 specimens of about 300 species collected chiefly in the Tropical and Sub- 

 tropical Zones of the Santa Marta mountains. 



Under the second head, a collection made in 1912-1913, in Ecuador by 

 W. B. Richardson, is deserving of first place. This contains some 4000 

 specimens including much topotypical material. Second place is accorded 

 to a collection of some 1800 specimens made in eastern Panama by Rich- 

 ardson, H. E. Anthony and D. S. Ball. These collections have been of the 

 utmost value in identification and in distributional problems. 



1 This information was given to me by Sr. Cspinos, Director of the School of Mines in Medel- 

 iin; and also by Ernesto White -who was building the road I wrote you about. — L. E. M. 



