Argentine Ornithology Volume I Part 6

Zeitschr. ges. Orn._ 1885, p. 116.

_Description._--Above olive-green; head more or less rufescent; front and superciliaries chestnut-red; sides of head grey, beneath pale ochraceous; breast and sides yellow; throat greyish; bill short and thick, pale reddish, with a black blotch at the base of the lower mandible; feet reddish: total length 65 inches, wing 33, tail 30. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ Paraguay and Northern Argentina.

This species was met with by Durnford near Salta in June 1878. He describes the iris as "light rufous; upper mandible dark slate, under mandible, legs, and feet pale slate."

Mr. Salvin founded his _C. altirostris_ upon Durnford's specimens, but Graf v. Berlepsch is of opinion that this species is the "_Habia verde_"

of Azara, and should consequently bear the name "_viridis_" of Vieillot.

This is perhaps correct, but at the same time it would only make fresh confusion to transfer to this species the name hitherto usually applied to the preceding bird. We prefer, consequently, to let it stand under Mr. Salvin's name "_altirostris_."

Fam. VIII. HIRUNDINIDae, or SWALLOWS.

The cosmopolitan family of Swallows, of which about eighty species are known, is well developed in the New World, where some thirty representatives occur in various parts. In Argentina the occurrence of eight Swallows has been recorded. Three of them belong to the group of Purple Martins (_Progne_), which is restricted to the New World, and of the remainder four are members of genera entirely restricted to the Neotropical Region. The genus _Petrochelidon_, of which one species is met with in La Plata, has alone representatives in the Eastern Hemisphere.

25. PROGNE FURCATA, Baird[3].

(PURPLE MARTIN.)

+Progne purpurea+, _Hudson, P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 548 (Patagonia); _Scl. P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 605; _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 14; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 32 (Chupat), 1878, p. 392 (Central Patagonia); _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 595 (Buenos Ayres).

+Progne elegans+, _Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ viii. p. 89 (Bahia Blanca). +Progne furcata+, _Baird, Rev. A. B._ p. 278; _Sharpe, Cat. A. B._ x. p. 175.

_Description._--Uniform deep purple-blue; on each side of the back a small concealed tuft of white feathers; tail-feathers black, washed with blue: total length 77 inches, wing 555, tail 33. _Female_: upper parts dull purple; head, neck, and lower parts blackish brown.

_Hab._ Argentina and Patagonia.

The Purple Martin is occasionally seen in the eastern provinces of La Plata when migrating, but has not been found nesting anywhere so far north as Buenos Ayres. I met with it breeding at Bahia Blanca on the Atlantic coast, and on the Rio Negro, where it is very common. It arrives in Patagonia late in September, and leaves before the middle of February. On the 14th of that month I saw one flock flying north, but it was the last. It breeds in holes under the caves of houses or in walls, and its nest is like that of _P. chalybea_; but many also breed in holes in the steep banks of the Rio Negro. They do not, however, excavate holes for themselves, but take possession of natural crevices and old forsaken burrows of the Burrowing Parrot (_Conurus patachonicus_).

In size, flight, manners, and appearance the Purple Martin closely resembles the following species, the only difference being in the dark plumage of the under surface. The language of the two birds is also identical; the loud excited scream when the nest is approached, the various other notes when the birds sweep about in the air, and the agreeably modulated and leisurely-uttered song are all possessed by the two species without the slightest difference in strength or intonation.

This circ.u.mstance appears very remarkable to me, because, though two species do sometimes possess a few notes alike, the greater part of their language is generally different; also because birds of the same species in different localities vary more in language than in any other particular. This last observation, however, applies more to resident than to migratory species.

[3] [I here follow Mr. Sharpe in considering the Purple Martin of Argentina and Patagonia separable from the closely allied northern species of North America. But I am altogether sceptical about its occurrence in Chili, which Dr. Philippi expressly diaries (P. Z. S.

1868 p. 534) and for which I know of no good authority.--P. L. S.]

26. PROGNE CHALYBEA (Gm.).

(DOMESTIC MARTIN.)

+Progne chalybea+, _Scl. P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 606 (Buenos Ayres); _Scl.

et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 14; _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 595 (Buenos Ayres); _Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ viii. p. 88 (Concepcion); _Sharpe, Cat. B._ x. p. 178. +Progne domestica+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 477; _Sharpe, Cat. B._ x. p. 177.

_Description._--Entire upper parts deep purple-blue; lesser and median wing-coverts the same; wing- and tail-feathers black, glossed with steel-blue; throat, fore neck, and chest ash colour; breast, abdomen, and under tail-coverts pure white; bill and feet black: total length 8 inches, wing 57, tail 32. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ Central and South America.

This species, distinguished from the Purple Martin by its white underparts, ranges from Mexico to Buenos Ayres, the extreme limit of its range being about 250 miles south of that city. It was well called _Golondrina domestica_ by Azara, being preeminently domestic in its habits. It never breeds in banks as the Purple Martin often does, or in the domed nests of other birds in trees, a situation always resorted to by the Tree-Martin, and occasionally by the Common Swallow; but is so accustomed to the companionship of man as to make its home in populous towns as well as in country-houses. It arrives in Buenos Ayres about the middle of September, and apparently resorts to the same breeding-place every year. A hole under the eaves is usually selected, and the nest is roughly built of dry gra.s.s, hair, feathers, and other materials. When the entrance to its breeding-hole is too large, it partially closes it up with mud mixed with straw; if there be two entrances it stops up one altogether. The bird does not often require to use mud in building; it is the only one of our Swallows that uses such a material at all. The eggs are white, long, pointed, and five in number.

In the season of courtship this Martin is a noisy pugnacious bird, and always, when quitting its nest, utters an exceedingly loud startling cry several times repeated. It also has a song, uttered both when resting and on the wing, composed of several agreeably modulated notes, and in that thick rolling intonation peculiar to our Swallows. This song does not sound loud when near, yet it can be distinctly heard when the bird appears but a speck in the distance. I may here remark that, with the exception of the _Petrochelidon pyrrhonota_, which possesses a sharp squeaky voice, like the Swallows of Europe, all our Hirundines have soft voices: their usual twittering when they are circling about resembles somewhat the chirping of the English House-Sparrow in tone, but besides these notes they possess a song more pleasing to the ear.

Before leaving in February these birds congregate in parties of from twenty to four or five hundred, usually on the broad leafy top of an old ombu tree.

27. PROGNE TAPERA (Linn.).

(TREE-MARTIN.)

+Progne tapera+, _Scl. P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 606 (Buenos Ayres); _Scl.

et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 14; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 168 (Buenos Ayres); _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 595 (Catamarca); _Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ viii. p. 89 (Concepcion); _Sharpe, Cat. B._ x. p. 180. +Cotyle tapera+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 477.

_Description._--Entire upper parts dull brown; tail-feathers blackish brown; throat ashy white; fore neck and chest ashy brown in the centre and dark brown on the sides, as are also the flanks; abdomen white; bill and feet horn-colour: total length 7 inches, wing 55, tail 26. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina.

The Tree-Martin is more slender and has a greater extent of wing than the Purple Martins; and, instead of the beautiful dark purple (their prevailing colour), its entire upper plumage is dusky brown, the under surface white. But if these differences of structure and hue merely serve to show that it is not a very near relative of the other species, those exhibited in its habits remove it very far indeed from them.

The Tree-Martin is a very garrulous bird, and no sooner arrives early in September, than we are apprised of the circ.u.mstance by the notes which the male and female incessantly sing in concert, fluttering and waving their wings the while, and seeming quite beside themselves with joy at their safe arrival; for invariably they arrive already mated. Their language is more varied, the intonation bolder and freer than that of our other Swallows. The length of the notes can be varied at pleasure; some are almost harsh, others silvery or liquid, as of trickling drops of water; they all have a glad sound; and many have that peculiar character of some bird-notes of shaping themselves into words.

This Martin is never seen to alight on the ground or on the roofs of houses, but solely on trees; and when engaged in collecting materials for its nest, it sweeps down and s.n.a.t.c.hes up a feather or straw without touching the surface. It breeds only in the clay-ovens of the Oven-bird (_Furnarius rufus_). I, at least, have never seen them breed in any other situation after observing them for a great many summers. An extraordinary habit! for, many as are the species that possess the parasitical tendency of breeding in other birds' nests, none of them confine themselves to the nest of a single species excepting the bird I am describing. It must, however, be understood that my knowledge of this bird has been acquired in Buenos Ayres, where I have observed it; and as this Martin possesses a wider range in South America than the Oven-birds, it is more than probable that in other districts it builds in different situations.

On arriving in spring each pair takes up its position on some tree, and usually on a particular branch; a dead branch extending beyond the foliage is a favourite perch. Here they spend much of their time, never appearing to remain long absent from it, and often, when singing their notes together, fluttering about it with a tremulous uncertain flight, like that of a hovering b.u.t.terfly. About three weeks after first arriving they begin to make advances towards the Oven-bird's nest that stands on the nearest post or tree; and if it be still occupied by the rightful owners, after much time has been spent in sporting about and reconnoitring it, a feud begins which is often exceedingly violent and protracted for many days.

In seasons favourable to them the Oven-birds build in autumn and winter, and breed early in spring; so that their broods are out of their clay-houses by the end of October or earlier; when this happens, the Swallow that breeds in November quietly takes possession of the forsaken fortress. But accidents will happen, even to the wonderful fabric of the Oven-bird. It is sometimes destroyed and must be rebuilt; or its completion has perhaps been r.e.t.a.r.ded for months by drought, or by the poor condition of the birds in severe weather; or the first brood has perhaps perished, destroyed by an opossum or other enemy. November, and even December, may thus arrive before some pairs have hatched their eggs; and it is these unfortunate late breeders that suffer from the violence of the marauding Swallows. I have often witnessed the wars of these birds with the deepest interest; and in many ovens that I have opened I have found the eggs of the Oven-birds buried under the nests of the Swallows. After the Swallows have taken up a position near the coveted oven, they occasionally fly towards and hover about it, returning again to their stand. By-and-by, instead of returning as at first, they take to alighting at the entrance of the coveted home; this is a sort of declaration of war, and marks the beginning of hostilities.

The Oven-birds, full of alarm and anger, rush upon and repel them as often as they approach; they retire before this furious onset, but not discomfited, and only warbling out their gay seemingly derisive notes in answer to the outrageous indignant screams of their enemies. Soon they return; the scene is repeated; and this desultory skirmishing is often continued for many days.

But at length the lawless invaders, grown bolder, and familiar with his strength and resources, will no longer fly from the master of the house; desperate struggles now frequently take place at the entrance, the birds again and again dropping to the ground clutched fiercely together, and again hurrying up only to resume the combat. Victory at last declares itself for the aggressors, and they busy themselves carrying in materials for their nest, screaming their jubilant notes all the time as if in token of triumph. The brave and industrious Oven-birds, dispossessed of their home, retire to spend their childless summer together, for the male and female never separate; and when the autumn rains have supplied them with wet clay, and the sense of defeat is worn off, they cheerfully begin their building-operations afresh.

This is not, however, the invariable result of the conflict. To the superior swiftness of the Martin the Oven-bird opposes greater strength, and, it might be added, a greater degree of zeal and fury than can animate its adversary. The contest is thus nearly an equal one; and the Oven-bird, particularly when its young are already hatched, is often able to maintain its own. But the Martins never suffer defeat; for, when unable to take the citadel by storm, they fall back on their dribbling system of warfare, which they keep up till the young birds leave the nest, when they take possession before it has grown cold.

The Martin makes its own nest chiefly of large feathers, and lays four eggs, long, pointed, and pure white.

It will be remarked that in all its habits above mentioned this bird differs widely from the two preceding species. It also differs greatly from them in its manner of flight. The Purple Martins move with surprising grace and celerity, the wings extended to their utmost; they also love to sail in circles high up in the air, or about the summits of tall trees, and particularly during a high wind. At such times several individuals are usually seen together, and all seem striving to outvie each other in the beauty of their evolutions.

The Tree-Martin is never seen to soar about in circles; and though when hawking after flies and moths it sweeps the surface of the gra.s.s with amazing swiftness, at other times it has a flight strangely slow and of a fashion peculiar to itself: the long wings are depressed as much as those of a Wild Duck when dropping on to the water, and are constantly agitated with tremulous flutterings, short and rapid as those of a b.u.t.terfly.

Neither is this bird gregarious like all its congeners, though occasionally an individual a.s.sociates for a while with Swallows of another species; but this only when they are resting on fences or trees, for as soon as they take flight it leaves them. Once or twice, when for some mysterious cause the autumnal migration has been delayed long past its usual time, I have seen them unite in small flocks; but this is very rare. As a rule they have no meetings preparatory to migration, but skim about the fields and open plains in un-Swallow-like solitude, and suddenly disappear without having warned us of their intended departure.

28. PETROCHELIDON PYRRHONOTA (Vieill.).

(RED-BACKED ROCK-MARTIN.)

+Petrochelidon pyrrhonota+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 14; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 169; _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 595 (Buenos Ayres); _Sharpe, Cat. B._ x. p. 193. +Cotyle pyrrhonota+, _Burm.

La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 477 (Tuc.u.man).