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P l a t e LXXIX.
ATTAGIS CHIMBORAZENSIS.
(CHIMEOEAZIAN ATTAGIS).
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11’“
A tta g is ehimborazcnsis Scl. P.Z.S, I8 6 0 , p. 82.
G. R. G ray , L is t o f G alliuæ in Mu s. B r it. p . 95 (1SC7).
S u p ra nige r, plumia om nibus Hueis o cb ra cesceuti.rufis d u p lic itè r m a rg in atis e t in tu s n o ta tis : remig ib u s p rima riis
a la rum nig ric an ti-c in ere is, h o rum scapis albis : su b tu s o cb ra ce scen ti-ru fu s, n ig ro , s ic u t iu dorso, v a rie g atu s ; abdomine
medio p u rè cinnamomeo-rufo, la te rib u s e t su b c au d a lib u s n ig ro v a riegatis : ree tricib u s obscurè ciñereis, b a rum pogoniis
e s te rn is lin e is pallido cinnamomeis f re q u en tè r tran s fa sc ia tis ; te ctric ib u a su b a larib u s p a llidè cinnamomesceuti-albidis ;
ro s tro e t p e d ib u s obscurè fu scis : long, to tâ ll'O , alæ 7 '3 , caudæ 3-0, ta rs i I'O .
H a h . in m o n te Chimborazo, ad alt. 14,000 pedum.
One o f the most elevated localities y et visited h y ornithological explorers in any part of
the world’s surface is Panza, a spot situated on the southern slope o f Chimborazo, on the tracie
between Guaranda and Ambato, at an elevation o f about 14,000 feet above tlie sea-level.
Mr. Fraser passed several days at this station in January 1859, and obtained specimens o f
seventeen species o f birds in this dreaiy and inhospitable solitude. Amongst them were three
examples o f the present Attagis, whicli, in one o f his papers ou Fraser’s collections, Selater ha.s
named after the celebrated Volcano upon the slopes o f which it was obtained. Jlr. Fraser
tells us tbat the bird is found among tiie bare rocks, and has a note ‘ chay-lac, cliay-lac, chay-lac.’
Tho stomachs contained vegetable matter and grit. The Chimborazian Attagis is about the
same size as A. g a y i and A . latreillii, but is immediately distinguishable from these closcly-allicd
species by its darker colouring, the black markings being mucb more prominent in the present
bird.
The genera Attagis and Thinocorus together constitute the family Thinocorida:—one o f the
most peculiar forms o f the Neotropical Ornis. With much o f the external appearance o f the
Ptarmigans o f the Northern hemisphere, they combine the essential structure o f the Plovers,
and must be placed iu the natural series in the neighbourhood o f Glareola and Hoematopus.
Like several other genera belonging to the Patagonian province tiiey are found at the sea-level
in high southern latitudes, hut attain a greater elevation as they advance northwards, until
under the equator, as wc have seen, they frequent the highest localities capable o f maintaining
bird-life.
Our figure o f this Attagis is taken from a specimen in the British Museum, purcliased of
M. Parzudaki o f Paris.
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