Argentine Ornithology Volume I Part 10

_Hab._ Paraguay, Uruguay, and Northern Argentina.

In Corrientes d'Orbigny found this Saltator breeding in the month of November. It frequents the shrubs and bushes in the neighbourhood of the houses, and makes an open nest of roots, not of very neat construction.

The eggs are two or three, greenish blue, slightly spotted at the larger end with blackish and reddish zigzag markings. The egg is figured in d'Orbigny's 'Voyage' (pl. xxviii. fig. 3).

White tells us that this species is not uncommon in Catamarca, and Barrows met with it at Concepcion in Entrerios.

Fam. X. FRINGILLIDae, or FINCHES.

The extensive family of Finches, which has numerous representatives in every part of the world, is well represented in the Argentine Republic.

Within the limits a.s.signed to the present work forty-six species of his group are already known to occur, and it is probable that this number will be somewhat increased when the Argentine avifauna is thoroughly worked out.

Most of the genera to which the Argentine Finches belong are forms peculiar to the Neotropical Region, or at all events to the New World.

The genus _Chrysomitris_, which contains our Siskin and other Old-World species, is the only one which has a wider distribution.

One of the most characteristic forms of Argentine Fringillidae is _Poospiza_, of which seven species are met with within the limits of the Republic, while _Lophospingus_, _Donacospiza_, _Gubernatrix_, and _Saltatricula_ are Fringilline types peculiar to Argentina.

47. PHEUCTICUS AUREIVENTRIS (d'Orb. et Lafr.).

(BLACK-AND-YELLOW THICK-BILL.)

+Pheucticus aureiventris+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 27; _White, P.

Z. S._ 1882, p. 598 (Salta); _Sharpe, Cat. B._ xii. p. 55.

_Description._--Above, also head, throat, and chest, black; lesser wing-coverts yellow; two spots on the greater coverts and the base of the primaries white; tail black, the three outer feathers on each side tipped with white; belly and under wing-coverts bright yellow; sides spa.r.s.ely spotted with black; bill and feet black: total length 87 inches, wing 45, tail 35. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ Bolivia and Northern Argentina.

Examples of this fine species, originally discovered by d'Orbigny in Bolivia, were obtained by White in the forests of Salta.

48. GUIRACA CYANEA (Linn.).

(INDIGO FINCH.)

+Guiraca cyanea+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 27; _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 598 (Catamarca). +Guiraca cyanea argentina+, _Sharpe, Cat. B._ xii. p. 73.

_Description._--Indigo-blue; lesser wing-coverts azure-blue; wing- and tail-feathers black; forehead azure-blue, and head washed with the same colour; bill and feet black: total length 68 inches, wing 36, tail 29. _Female_ brown; beneath brighter and rufescent.

_Hab._ Brazil, Paraguay, and Northern Argentina.

White found this bird "not uncommon around Andalgala in Catamarca, in hedges and thickets." Mr. Sharpe separates the Argentine bird as a subspecies, from its larger size.

49. GUIRACA GLAUCOCaeRULEA (d'Orb. et Lafr.).

(GLAUCOUS FINCH.)

+Guiraca glaucocaerulea+, _Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S._ 1868, p. 139 (Buenos Ayres), _iid. Nomencl._ p. 27; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 170 (Buenos Ayres); _Salvin, Ibis_, 1880, p. 353 (Salta); _Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ viii. p. 92 (Concepcion); _Sharpe, Cat. B._ xii. p. 75. +Coccoborus glaucocaeruleus+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 488 (Parana).

_Description._--Uniform glaucous blue; wings and tail blackish, the feathers edged with light blue: total length 57 inches, wing 29, tail 23.

_Hab._ Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina.

This is a rare Finch, and its ma.s.sive beak and rich blue plumage give to it a highly interesting appearance; but about its habits I have little to tell, for it is essentially a bird of the wild forest, seldom coming near the abodes of man, and being, moreover, shy in disposition, it is difficult to observe it even in its haunts. It is migratory, and is usually seen singly or in pairs, or in small companies of four or five individuals. The male sings, but his performance is merely a confused medley of chattering notes, uttered in so low a tone that they can scarcely be heard at a distance of twelve yards.

50. ORYZOBORUS MAXIMILIANI, Cab.

(PRINCE MAX.'S FINCH.)

+Oryzoborus maximiliani+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 488 (Tuc.u.man); _Sharpe, Cat. B._ xii. p. 78.

_Description._--Black; large alar speculum, axillaries, and under wing-coverts white; bill pale yellow; feet brown: total length 58 inches, wing 29, tail 25. _Female_ brown; beneath brownish ochraceous.

_Hab._ S. Brazil, Paraguay, and Northern Argentina.

This Finch is stated by Burmeister to occur near Tuc.u.man.

51. SPERMOPHILA PAl.u.s.tRIS, Barrows.

(MARSH FINCH.)

+Spermophila pal.u.s.tris+, _Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ viii. p. 82 (Concepcion); _Sharpe, Cat. B._ xii. p. 112.

_Description._--Above, from bill to rump, clear bluish ash; below, from bill to middle of breast, including lower eyelid, ear-coverts, and sides of neck, pure white; rest of underparts, rump, and upper tail-coverts bright chestnut-red; wings and tail blackish brown, edged with whitish; inner secondaries black, their tips and outer edges broadly white; a white patch across the base of all the primaries except the first two; bill and feet black, iris dark: total length 450 inches, wing 218, tail 170. _Female_ above uniform greenish olive, obscurely streaked with dusky; below light yellowish buff; wings and tail nearly as in male, but duller.

This small and beautiful Finch was discovered by Mr. Barrows in February 1880, on the Lower Uruguay. It inhabits the marshes, where the males are frequently seen pursuing each other in the pairing-season, occasionally pausing on the top of some tall gra.s.s to pour out their delightful song. In character this resembles that of the Black-headed Goldfinch; but has, Mr. Barrows says, a variety and sweetness far beyond the powers of that bird.

It is just possible that Mr. Barrows's Finch may be Azara's unidentified _Chipiu pardo y canela_ (Apuntamientos, vol. i. no. 143), which has the same habits, living in the dense reed-beds of the Paraguayan marshes, and is also a delightful singer,--superior to the Goldfinch or Canary, Azara says.

52. SPERMOPHILA MELANOCEPHALA (Vieill.).

(BLACK-HEADED FINCH.)

+Spermophila melanocephala+, _Sharpe, Cat. B._ xii. p. 118.

_Description._--Above black; rump and lesser wing-coverts bright rufous; large loral spot on each side white; wings and tail black; alar speculum white; beneath, throat white, band across the breast black; belly pale rufous; flanks and crissum dark rufous; under wing-coverts white; bill and feet black: whole length 50 inches, wing 24, tail 22.

_Hab._ Paraguay and Argentina.

A specimen of this species, now in the British Museum, was obtained by Durnford at Punta Lara in October 1875.