1917.] Chapman, Distribution o/ Bird-life in Colombia.. 301 



Found by us in the Temperate Zone of the Central Andes. Our speci- 

 mens are all from near the Ecuadorian boundary. 

 Almaguer, 4. 



(1289a) Vestipedes paramillo sp. nov. 



Char. sp. — Most nearly related to Vestipedes vestitus smaragdinipectus (Gould), 

 but male with the purple throat-patoh smaller, triangular in shape, as in Vestipedes 

 nigrivestris, and entirely surrounded by ghttering emerald-green; upperparts greener, 

 less coppery, more imiform; rump shghtly bluer; female greener, less coppery, 

 throat-patch smaller and bluer, area about it greener; size smaller. 



Type.— No. 133144, Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., cf ad., Paramillo, 12500 ft., W. Andes, 

 Col., Jan. 29, 1915; Miller & Boyle. 



Range. — Known only from the Paramo Zone at the northern end of the Western 

 Andes of Colombia. 



Description of Male. — Upperparts anteriorly uniform grass-green, becoming 

 slightly bluer on the rump and vivid, ghttering metalHc brassy green on the upper 

 tail-coverts; taU forked, uniform bluish black; wings purphsh black, their lesser 

 coverts green of the same color as the back; the greater coverts purplish black exter- 

 naUy, tinged with green; lower wing-coverts washed with green; throat with a bluish- 

 violet triangular patch, its apex reaching to the chin which, with the entire malar 

 region and breast is, at the best angle of reflection, ghttering metallic emerald- 

 green; remainder of the underparts green of essentiaUy the same color as the back, 

 through which the blackish bases of the feathers appear to a greater or less extent; 

 flanks fluffy, snowy white; under tail-coverts metalhc purple of the same color as 

 the throat; feet and bill black. Average of five specimens: Wing, 66.6; tail, 39.5; 

 bill, 17.6 mm. 



Description of Female. — Upperparts as in the male but more bronzy, the ghttering 

 upper tail-covert area somewhat less pronounced; the throat-patch more graduate, 

 or circular, peacock-blue with grayish bases of the feathers showing through; sur- 

 rounding green area decidedly more bronzy and less imiform on the chin, and more 

 or less buffy basaUy; a buffy loral streak; remaining underparts of a paler green, 

 more or less mixed with grajdsh, especiaUy medianly; lower tail-coverts blue and with 

 more grayish. Average of five specimens: Wing, 57; tail, 38.6; bill, 18.7 mm. 



Remarks. — This species, which is based on seven males and six females, 

 all from the type-locality, is an obvious representative of Vestipedes vestitus, 

 but its differently shaped throat-patch and glittering green malar areas are 

 more than differences of degree and, in my opinion, are of specific value. 



The restricted area occupied by the Paramo Zone in the Western Andes, 

 and the isolation of these areas from those occupied by the same zone in the 

 Central Andes, prevent the range of this species from coming into contact 

 with that of its nearest ally. 



Paramillo, 13. 



