]54 THE CONDOR I VOL. VII patches of a trailing Iponl?ea with broad leathery leaves and pink floxvers, matted clusters of sprawling and very thoruy leguminous shrubs, and thickets of low, spreading mimosa-like trees, interspersed with the poisonous manzanilla. Not- withstanding the dry season and almost total absence of flowers, birds were very numerous in the vicinity of the village, especially two species of ground dove (Columbigallina rulipennis and L ?. passerina pallescens), and Morellet's seedeater, (Sporophila morelleli), large flocks of which were almost continually feeding on the ground about the ranchos. Columba YttjSna and Leplolila verreau.vi were also com- mon in the thickets, wbile among the smaller birds the most numerous was the mangrove warbler (Dendroica bryanticastaneiceps). In these thickets were also secured two examples of the rare Vireopallens and several of the still rarer hum- mingbird, ?lrinia boucardi, until then only known fron] the single pair in the Paris Museum, collected in [875 by Mons. Adolphe Boucard, at Punta Arenas. The true home of the latter is in the mangrove swamps, and the specimens secured were stragglers which had come outside to feed upon minute ants and other in- OUR PACK'TRAIN AT BONILLA sects infesting the mimosa trees. The large and rare Ph?'ochroa c/tvb'ri was the ouly other hummer I'-und on the Pig]es side, where it was less common than on the opposite side of the estero. hnme- diately beyond the fringe of mangrove swamp across the estero a high mixed lorest extended mauy miles, and daily trips were made there, much the larger part of the species collect- ed being found on that side only. Scattered through this forest were many speci- mens of the roble de savana (oak of the savanna). a bignoniaceons tree resembling the catalpa but with much larger flowers of a beautiful rose-pink color, among which many birds were feeding, especially several kinds of hummingbirds and the Baltimore and orchard orioles. Of the former, Amazilia fitscicaudata. Phteochroa awieri and UhCys,tronia elicite were most common, no ,4rinia being found. The un- dergrowth in this forest consisted chiefly of small biscoyal pahns, bristling xvith long, slender thorns of needle-like sharpness, which proved a great nuisance and interfered seriously with our work. An attempt was made to clear then] away from beneath one flowering roble tree to which hummingbirds seemed partial, but a few strokes turned and broke the edge of our machetes and we gave it up. Farther inland the biscoyals gave way to tall cannas, which were easily felled but grew so close together and so tall (sometimes ten to twelve feet) that birds could not be seen. In this forest ot tall and often very large trees (we measured one which was thirty feet from the extremity of one britt]ess to that of the opposite
