Argentine Ornithology Volume Ii Part 32

The Chunia, he tells us, is naturally friendly to mankind, and is often kept tame in the courtyards of houses along with the domestic fowls, amongst which it stalks about, eating remnants of flesh and large insects, especially gra.s.shoppers. At night it roosts upon the roofs of the corridors.

In a free state the Chunia lives in the forests, running about in the bush in the daytime, and roosting in the summit of the large trees. The nest is placed in bushes, not very high, and the young birds are often taken when half-fledged and become quickly accustomed to captivity.

Dr. Burmeister first met with this bird at La Invernada between Tuc.u.man and Catamarca[10], but tells us that it inhabits besides these two provinces the adjoining districts of La Rioja and Santiago del Estero.

It is always easier to hear it than to see it, for its loud screaming voice may be recognized at a distance, but when approached in the bush it keeps a discreet silence.

[10] See Burmeister, 'Reise durch die La Plata-Staaten,' ii. p. 195.

Several examples of Burmeister's Cariama have been received alive in the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London, from one of which an excellent figure has been taken by Mr. Smit (see P. Z. S. 1870, plate x.x.xvi.). The frontispiece of the present volume is a reduction of that figure by the same artist.

Order XV. LIMICOLae.

Fam. XLVI. PARRIDae, or JACANAS.

The Jacanas are a tropical group of birds with a somewhat general resemblance to the Rails, but with their toes enormously elongated, so as to enable them to move with facility over water-plants on the surface of lakes and ponds. In essential structure, however, they are now ascertained to be most nearly allied to the Plovers.

One genus of Jacanas (_Parra_) is peculiar to America, and a single species of this genus occurs in the Argentine Republic.

385. PARRA JACANA (Linn.).

(COMMON JACANA.)

+Parra jacana+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 506 (Tuc.u.man); _Scl.

et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 142; _iid. P. Z. S._ 1868, p. 145 (Buenos Ayres); _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 196 (Buenos Ayres); _White, P.

Z. S._ 1882, p. 627 (Buenos Ayres); _Barrows, Auk_, 1864, p. 277 (Entrerios).

_Description._--Head and neck purplish black; back and wings bright chestnut; primaries and secondaries pale greenish yellow tipped with brown; flanks dark chestnut; breast dark black; abdomen purplish; tail chestnut tipped with black; wattles on head and base of bill red, rest of bill yellow; feet olive: whole length 105 inches, wing 58, tail 22. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ South America from Venezuela down to Buenos Ayres.

The beautiful Jacana or Ja.s.sana, sometimes called _Alas-amarillas_ in the vernacular, differs very widely from all the other members of the Limicoline Order in its appearance, which is most singular--the toes being enormously long, the head ornamented with red lobes, and the wings armed with spurs, these and the beak being of a bright yellow.

The colouring of the plumage heightens the novelty of its appearance; the head, neck, and underparts being black; the shoulders, back, and wing-coverts chestnut; while the quills, which have a bright satiny l.u.s.tre, are apple-green in colour, and in some lights appear golden yellow.

In the southern part of the Plata district the Jacana is migratory, arriving from the north in Buenos Ayres early in October, either singly or in small parties. In their migration they appear to follow the course of the Plata; and, though some individuals are found breeding inland, they are for the most part confined to the littoral marshes.

The Jacanas journey by very easy stages, frequently alighting to rest by the way; for they are so incapable of sustained flight that boys on the pampas occasionally take them, pursuing them on horseback till the birds drop down exhausted. I believe the migratory Rails travel in the same way--a matter not easily determined, as they migrate by night; but they are feeble-winged creatures, and when driven to rise flutter away as if wounded. I have observed the Jacanas migrating by day, but would not for this reason affirm that they do not journey by night, since the Bartram's Sandpiper and other species journey both day and night.

The Jacana flies swiftly, in a straight line and close to the surface: the wings flutter rapidly; and there are frequent intervals of gliding.

When rising it presents a most novel appearance, as the lovely pale green of the wings is quite concealed when the bird is at rest; the beauty of its flight is thus greatly enhanced by the sudden display of a hue so rare and delicate. At a distance from the beholder, and in a strong sunshine, the wings appear of a shining golden yellow. Not only when flying does the Jacana make a display of its beautiful wings; without rising it has a way of exhibiting them, appearing to delight as much in them as the c.o.c.katoo does in its crest or the Peac.o.c.k in its train. When several of these birds live in company, occasionally they all in one moment leave their feeding, and with quick excited notes, and cl.u.s.tering together in a close group, go through a singular and pretty performance, all together holding their wings outstretched and agitated, some with a rapid fluttering, others with a slow-moving leisurely motion like that of a b.u.t.terfly sunning itself. The performance over, the birds peaceably scatter again. I have never observed Jacanas fighting.

Shortly after arriving they pair, and build a simple nest with few materials, usually on the floating weeds. The eggs are four, in shape like Snipe's eggs, and have deep-brown spots on a pale yellowish-brown ground. During incubation the male keeps guard at some distance from the nest, and utters a warning cry at the approach of an intruder; the female instantly flies from the nest, but in rising renders herself very conspicuous. When the nest is approached the parent birds hover about, occasionally fluttering as if wounded, all the time keeping up a clamour of hurried angry notes somewhat resembling the barking cries of the Black-collared Stilt.

Fam. XLVII. CHARADRIIDae, or PLOVERS.

Plovers are found all over the world's surface and in every degree of lat.i.tude, and some of the species have an almost cosmopolitan distribution. In the Neotropical Region about twenty Plovers are known, of which seven are found within our limits. Three of these are Antarctic species that visit Argentina during the winter, one arrives in the opposite season from the north, and the other three are more or less abundant residents.

386. VANELLUS CAYENNENSIS (Gm.).

(CAYENNE LAPWING.)

+Vanellus cayennensis+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 502; _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 142; _iid. P. Z. S._ 1868, p. 144 (Buenos Ayres); _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 42 (Chupat), p. 196; (Buenos Ayres), et 1878, p. 402 (Centr. Patagonia); _Gibson, Ibis_, 1880, p. 161 (Buenos Ayres); _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 278 (Entrerios, Pampas); _Seebohm, Plovers_, p. 216. +Philomachus caya.n.u.s+, _Darwin, Zool. Voy. 'Beagle,'_ iii. p. 127.

_Description._--Wings with a large yellow spine. Above grey; broad front and thin vertical crest black; a patch on the scapulars bronzy purplish; upper tail-coverts white; primaries purplish black; greater coverts pure white, pa.s.sing into greyish on the secondaries; lesser wing-coverts bronzy green; tail--basal half white, apical half purplish black tipped with white: beneath, chin, line down the middle of the throat and breast shining black; sides of neck grey, pa.s.sing into white on the face; abdomen and under wing-coverts pure white; bill red, with black tip; feet flesh-colour: whole length 130 inches, wing 82, tail 42, tarsus 31. _Female_ similar.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CAYENNE LAPWING. (Seebohm's 'Plovers,' p. 216.)]

_Hab._ Eastern South America.

The Lapwing of La Plata is considerably larger than the well-known Lapwing of the Old World, but closely resembles that bird in the general colour of the plumage, in the long, slender, black crest, and in general appearance. Throughout the Argentine country it is called _Teru-teru_, from its ever-repeated dissyllabic cry; west of the Andes the vernacular name is _Queltregue_, also in imitation of its notes. It has red legs, crimson irides, a rosy beak tipped with black, and coral-red wing-spurs; and these spots of bright colour add to its bold striking appearance.

In size, beauty, and spirit it is a king among the Plovers, while its jealous aggressive disposition gives it the character of a tyrant amongst birds in general. On the pastoral pampas (the district from which the giant gra.s.ses have disappeared) it is excessively abundant; and it is there resident, although, as with most strong-winged resident species, some individuals do certainly migrate, small parties being occasionally seen in spring and autumn flying steadily at a great height, apparently performing a long journey. As a rule the birds pair for life, and remain always on the spot where they breed. They may be persecuted with guns, their eggs taken year after year, even the ground turned up with the plough, but they still refuse to be driven out.

In regions having a broken surface--hills, woods, and sheltered hollows--birds naturally get attached to one spot, for each locality possesses its own features, and individuals frequenting it acquire a knowledge of its advantages. The vast pampas have a uniform level surface, and produce the same kinds of food in the same quant.i.ties. They are parched with droughts and flooded by rains alternately, and swept by dust-storms in summer and cold gales in winter--violent enough, one would imagine, to drive every winged creature away and obliterate all marks of home. Again, the powerful flight of this species would enable it to take long journeys, and, if unaffected by atmospheric changes, scarcity of food and water might be a temptation to seek new regions.

But through all vicissitudes the Teru-teru clings to its chosen spot of ground.

In defence of its territory it wages perpetual war against most living creatures, the objects of its special abhorrence being men, dogs, rheas, and birds of prey generally. Its noisy cry and irascible temper are spoken of by most travellers and naturalists; for no person riding across the pampas could possibly overlook the bird, with its screaming protests against all trespa.s.sers perpetually ringing in his ears; but they have all omitted to mention the singular habit which this bird has of a.s.sociating in sets of three for the purpose of amus.e.m.e.nt or play. Each couple, as I have said, live always together on their own pretty-well-defined plot of ground, which they jealously guard from intrusion. Yet if one watches a pair of them for a while he presently sees another--one of a neighbouring couple--rise up and fly to them, leaving his own mate to take care of home; and, instead of resenting this visit as an intrusion, they welcome it with notes and signs of manifest pleasure. Advancing to the visitor, they place themselves behind it, and then all three, keeping step, begin a rapid march, uttering loud drumming and rhythmical notes in time with their movements, the notes of the birds behind coming in a rapid stream, while the leading bird utters loud single notes at regular intervals.

The march ceases, the leader stretches out his wings, still emitting loud notes, while the other two, with puffed-out plumage, standing exactly abreast, stoop forward until the tips of their beaks touch the ground, and, sinking their voices to a murmur, remain for some time in this singular posture. The performance is then over; the birds all resume their natural att.i.tudes, and the visitor takes his leave. It is quite certain that this display has no connection with the s.e.xual feeling, for it is indulged in all the year round, at all hours of the day, and also during moonlight nights. It is simply the bird's manner of expressing its joyous spirits; for most living creatures--birds especially--have more or less well-defined methods of playing; and playday with the Teru is every day, and at very brief intervals. And yet the grave pompous air of the birds, and the military precision of their movements, might easily lead an observer to attribute these displays to some more important motive. Play is not only indulged in with neighbours; there are many solitary Terus continually wandering about from place to place--probably young birds not yet settled in life--and when one of these vagrants pa.s.ses near a pair he is immediately invited to join them, and, when he alights, all go through the performance together with great zest. In this case, however, as soon as it is over, the strange bird is attacked with great spirit and chased away; and if by chance he comes down again near them, they hasten to drive him up with increased fury.

While watching their antics, which the Gauchos call the Teru's quadrilles, a curious subject of inquiry suggested itself to my mind. It appeared to me that its manner of playing has had a reflex effect strong enough to mark the bird's whole character--language, bearing, and habits being coloured by it, and even the domestic relations interfered with.

And with regard to the latter point, though it is the rule that each c.o.c.k bird has only one hen, I have known several instances of a c.o.c.k with two hens, the two females laying their eggs in one nest and taking turns in sitting on them. I have also found instances of two males to one female; and in one case, where I watched the birds, I noticed that when the female was on the nest the males stood over her, one on each side.

I once had my attention drawn to a large concourse of Terus by the strange behaviour of two individuals amongst them, and I stayed to watch their proceedings. It was in the dry hot weather, and a great many birds had congregated to drink at a lagoon. Some hundreds of them were standing about, quietly preening their feathers, and in the middle of the flock two birds were conspicuously marching about, stiff and upright as a couple of soldiers engaged in some military exercise, and uttering loud notes full of authority. Every few minutes a fresh bird would arrive and alight at some distance from the water, on which the two noisy birds would bustle up, and, ranging themselves behind it, run it with loud drumming notes to the margin; then, standing close together, they would wait till its thirst was quenched, after which they would run it away to some distance from the water, of which they seemed to have made themselves dispensers. For over an hour I continued watching them, and every bird that arrived was conducted to and from the water in this ceremonious manner.

Occasionally several couples unite and soar about in a compact flock; they divide into sets of three birds each, then hover for some time, all waving their wings exactly in time and screaming their notes in unison, and these movements seem like an imitation in the air of the usual marching and drumming performance on the ground.

The breeding-season of the Terus begins as early as the month of June in favourable seasons; severe cold, drought, or other causes sometimes delays it to August. The nest is a shallow circular hollow made by the bird on the level plain, and lined with broken gra.s.s-stems and small fragments of thistle-stalks; the eggs are four, rather sharply pointed at one end, and have an olive-green ground-colour spotted with black.

The eggs in different nests vary greatly in size, ground-colour, and in the amount of black they are marked with, no two birds laying eggs exactly alike.

While the female is on the nest the male keeps watch at a distance of twenty or thirty yards, and utters a low warning cry in case of danger.

The female leaves the nest sometimes by running, but oftener flies from it, and by marking the spot she rises from, it is easy to find the nest on the open level pampas. In the course of a morning's ride I have picked up as many as sixty-four eggs. During incubation the birds are excessively watchful and jealous, their irritability increasing with the growth of the chick in the sh.e.l.l; and at that time they will attack any bird of prey approaching the nest with amazing virulence. When approached by a human being they fly to meet him when he is still far from them, and hovering, with loud screams, over him, dash down at intervals, threatening to strike with their wing-spurs, coming very close to his head. Unable to intimidate the enemy with this show of violence, the bird changes its tactics, and, alighting at some distance, counterfeits the action of a bird seeking its nest. With well-acted caution and secrecy in its manner, it runs silently along, stooping low, and having found a slight nest-like depression on the surface, sits on it, half opens its wings, and begins gathering all the small sticks or straws within its reach and carefully arranges them about it, as most ground-breeding birds do when incubating. Sometimes also, like many other species, it tries to lead one away from the nest by feigning lameness; but the former instinct of seeking and sitting on an imaginary nest, which I have not observed in any other bird, seems far more complex and admirable.

When sheep in a flock pa.s.s over the nest, the bird stands on it to defend its eggs; and then its loud cries and outspread wings often serve to bring the sheep, from motives of curiosity, about it. Even with a dozen sheep cl.u.s.tered round it the bird stands undaunted, beating their faces with its wings; but, unhappily for it, if the shepherd is following, the loud cries of the bird bring him to the spot, and the eggs so bravely defended are taken.

387. CHARADRIUS DOMINICUS, Muller.

(AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER.)

+Charadrius virginia.n.u.s+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 501.

+Charadrius virginicus+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 142; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 197 (Buenos Ayres); _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 628 (Buenos Ayres); _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 313 (Bahia Blanca); _Withington, Ibis_, 1888, p. 472 (Lomas de Zamora).