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Title: The Zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle [Vol. 3 of 5]
under the command of Captain Fitzroy, R.N., during the years 1832 to 1836.
Editor: Charles Darwin
Release date: August 15, 2024 [eBook #74261]
Language: English
Original publication: London: Smith, Elder & Co, 1839
Credits: Richard Tonsing and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by Biodiversity Heritage Library.)
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. BEAGLE [VOL. 3 OF 5] ***
THE
ZOOLOGY
OF
THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. BEAGLE,
UNDER THE COMMAND OF CAPTAIN FITZROY, R.N.,
DURING THE YEARS
1832 TO 1836.
_PUBLISHED WITH THE APPROVAL OF
THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS OF HER MAJESTY’S TREASURY._
=Edited and Superintended by=
CHARLES DARWIN, ESQ. M.A. F.R.S. SEC. G.S.
NATURALIST TO THE EXPEDITION.
PART III.
BIRDS,
BY
JOHN GOULD, ESQ. F.L.S.
LONDON:
PUBLISHED BY SMITH, ELDER AND CO. 65, CORNHILL.
MDCCCXLI.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY STEWART AND MURRAY
OLD BAILEY.
BIRDS,
=Described by=
JOHN GOULD, ESQ. F.L.S.
WITH
A NOTICE OF THEIR HABITS AND RANGES,
BY CHARLES DARWIN, ESQ. M.A. F.R.S. SEC. GEOLOG. SOC.
AND WITH AN ANATOMICAL APPENDIX,
BY T. C. EYTON, ESQ, F.L.S.
ILLUSTRATED BY NUMEROUS COLOURED ENGRAVINGS.
CORRIGENDA.
I am indebted to Mr. G. R. Gray for the following remarks and
corrections:—
Page 13, to Milvago ocrocephalus, _Spix._ add
Polyborus ocrocephalus, _Jard. & Selby’s III._ t. 5.
Alter 7, 8, 9, & 10, to 5, 6, 7, & 8.
Page 15, Milvago leucurus, add
Falco Australis, _Jard. & Selby’s III. Orn._ n. s. pl. 24.
Page 49, Serpophaga, _Gould_, is probably synonymous with
Euscarthmus, _Pr. Max._
Page 56, Agriornis, _Gould_, is synonymous with Dasycephala of
Swainson, and Tamnolanius, of Lesson; the species
therefore should be
sp. 1. D. lividus, _G. R. Gray_.
Thamnophilus lividus, _Kittl. Voy. de Chili_, pl. 1.
Tyrannus gutturalis, _Eyd. & Gerv. &c._
sp. 2. D. striata, _G. R. Gray_.
Agr. striatus, _Gould_.
Agr. micropterus, juv. _Gould_, sp. 3.
Page 57, sp. 4. D. maritima, _G. R. Gray_.
Agr. maritimus, _G. R. Gray, &c._
Page 66, The generic appellation of Opetiorhynchus, was adopted after
the subjection of Mr. Gould; since its publication,
however, I have considered that it might cause confusion
with Furnarius, of Vieillot, as it is Temminck’s name for
the identical same division, therefore only a synonym, and
am on that ground induced to change and propose the name
of Cinclodes, which has been adopted by a Continental
writer. The species should be altered thus:—
Page 66, Sp. 1. Cinclodes vulgaris, _G. R. Gray_.
Page 67, sp. 2. C. Patagonicus, _G. R. Gray, List of the Genera of
Birds_.
sp. 3. C. antarcticus, _G. R. Gray_.
Cinclodes fuliginosus, _Less._
Page 68, sp. 4. C. nigrofumosus, _G. R. Gray_.
Page 69, Eremobius, being previously employed, it is changed to
Enicornis, _G. R. Gray_. The species to
En. phœnicurus, _G. R. Gray, List of the Genera of Birds_.
Page 70, Rhinomya, being also previously employed; it is therefore
changed to Rhinocrypta, _G. R. Gray_. The species to
R. lanceolata, _G. R. Gray_.
Page 76, for Synallaxis major, _Gould_, read Anumbius acuticaudatus,
_G. R. Gray_.
Furnarius annumbi, _Vieill._
L’Anumbi, _Azara_, No. 222.
Anthus acuticaudatus, _Less._
Anumbius anthoides, _D’Orb. & Lafr._
Page 94, Fringilla fruticeti, _Kittl._ gives place to
Fringilla erythrorhyncha, _Less. Voy. Thetis_, ii. p. 324.
LIST OF PLATES.
Plate I. Milvago albogularis.
II. Craxirex Galapagoensis.
III. Otus Galapagoensis.
IV. Strix punctatissima.
V. Progne modestus.
VI. Pyrocephalus parvirostris.
VII. —— nanus.
VIII. Tyrannula magnirostris.
IX. Lichenops erythropterus.
X. Fluvicola Azaræ.
XI. { Xolmis variegata, _in place of_
{ Tænioptera variegata.
XII. Agriornis micropterus.
XIII. —— leucurus.
XIV. Pachyramphus albescens.
XV. —— minimus.
XVI. Mimus trifasciatus.
XVII. —— melanotis.
XVIII. —— parvulus.
XIX. { Uppucerthia dumetoria, _in place of_
{ Upercerthia dumetaria.
XX. { Opetiorhynchus nigrofumosus, _in place of_
{ Opetiorhynchus lanceolatus.
XXI. Eremobius phœnicurus.
XXII. { Anumbius acuticaudatus, _in place of_
{ Synallaxis major.
XXIII. Synallaxis rufogularis.
XXIV. —— flavogularis.
XXV. Limnornis curvirostris.
XXVI. —— rectirostris.
XXVII. Dendrodamus leucosternus.
XXVIII. Sylvicola aureola.
XXIX. Ammodramus longicaudatus.
XXX. { Ammodramus Manimbè, _in place of_
{ Ammodramus xanthornus.
XXXI. Passer Jagoensis.
XXXII. Chlorospiza melanodera.
XXXIII. —— xanthogramma.
XXXIV. { Aglaia striata, _in place of_
{ Tanagra Darwinii.
XXXV. Pipilo personata.
XXXVI. Geospiza magnirostris.
XXXVII. —— strenua.
XXXVIII. —— fortis.
XXXIX. —— parvula.
XL. Camarhynchus psittaculus.
XLI. —— crassirostris.
XLII. Cactornis scandens.
XLIII. —— assimilis.
XLIV. Certhidea olivacea.
XLV. Xanthornus flaviceps.
XLVI. Zenaida Galapagoensis.
XLVII. Rhea Darwinii.
XLVIII. Zapornia notata.
XLIX. —— spilonota.
L. Anser melanopterus.
ADVERTISEMENT.
When I presented my collection of Birds to the Zoological Society, Mr.
Gould kindly undertook to furnish me with descriptions of the new
species and names of those already known. This he has performed, but
owing to the hurry, consequent on his departure for Australia,—an
expedition from which the science of Ornithology will derive such great
advantages,—he was compelled to leave some part of his manuscript so far
incomplete, that without the possibility of personal communication with
him, I was left in doubt on some essential points. Mr. George Robert
Gray, the ornithological assistant in the Zoological department of the
British Museum, has in the most obliging manner undertaken to obviate
this difficulty, by furnishing me with information with respect to some
parts of the general arrangement, and likewise on that most intricate
subject,—the knowledge of what species have already been described, and
the use of proper generic terms. I shall endeavour in every part of the
text to refer to Mr. G. R. Gray’s assistance, where I have used it. As
some of Mr. Gould’s descriptions appeared to me brief, I have enlarged
them, but have always endeavoured to retain his specific character; so
that, by this means, I trust I shall not throw any obscurity on what he
considers the essential character in each case; but at the same time, I
hope, that these additional remarks may render the work more complete.
The accompanying illustrations, which are fifty in number, were taken
from sketches made by Mr. Gould himself, and executed on stone by Mrs.
Gould, with that admirable success, which has attended all her works.
They are all of the natural size with the exception of four raptorial
birds, a goose and a species of Rhea. As the dimensions of these latter
birds are given, their proportional reduction will readily be seen. I
had originally intended to have added the initial letter of my name to
the account of the habits and ranges, and that of Mr. Gould’s to the
description of the genera and species; but as it may be known that he is
responsible for the latter, and myself for the former, this appeared to
me useless; and I have, therefore, thought it better to incorporate all
general remarks in my own name, stating on every occasion my authority,
so that wherever the personal pronoun is used it refers to myself.
Finally, I must remark, that after the excellent dissertation, now in
the course of publication, on the habits and distribution of the birds
of South America by M. Alcide D’Orbigny, in which he has combined his
own extended observations with those of Azara, my endeavour to add
anything to our information on this subject, may at first be thought
superfluous. But as during the Beagle’s voyage, I visited some portions
of America south of the range of M. D’Orbigny’s travels, I shall relate
in order the few facts, which I have been enabled to collect together;
and these, if not new, may at least tend to confirm former accounts. I
have, however, thought myself obliged to omit some parts, which
otherwise I should have given; and, after having read the published
portion of M. D’Orbigny’s great work, I have corrected some errors, into
which I had fallen. I have not, however, altered any thing simply
because it differs from what that gentleman may have written; but only
where I have been convinced that my means of observation were inferior
to his.
BIRDS.
FAMILY—VULTURIDÆ.
SARCORAMPHUS GRYPHUS. _Bonap._
Vultur gryphus, _Linn._
—— ——, _Humb._ Zoolog. p. 31.
Sarcoramphus Condor, _D’Orbigny_. Voy. Ois.
Condor of the inhabitants of South America.
The Condor is known to have a wide range, being found on the west coast
of South America, from the Strait of Magellan, throughout the range of
the Cordillera, as far, according to M. D’Orbigny, as 8° north latitude.
On the Patagonian shore, the steep cliff near the mouth of the Rio
Negro, in latitude 41°, was the most northern point where I ever saw
these birds, or heard of their existence; and they have there wandered
about four hundred miles from the great central line of their habitation
in the Andes. Further south, among the bold precipices which form the
head of Port Desire, they are not uncommon; yet only a few stragglers
occasionally visit the sea-coast. A line of cliff near the mouth of the
Santa Cruz is frequented by these birds, and about eighty miles up the
river, where the sides of the valley were formed by steep basaltic
precipices, the Condor again appeared, although in the intermediate
space not one had been seen. From these and similar facts, I believe
that the presence of this bird is chiefly determined by the occurrence
of perpendicular cliffs. In Patagonia the Condors, either by pairs or
many together, both sleep and breed on the same overhanging ledges. In
Chile, however, during the greater part of the year, they haunt the
lower country, near the shores of the Pacific, and at night several
roost in one tree; but in the early part of summer they retire to the
most inaccessible parts of the inner Cordillera, there to breed in
peace.
With respect to their propagation, I was told by the country people in
Chile, that the Condor makes no sort of nest, but in the months of
November and December, lays two large white eggs on a shelf of bare
rock. Certainly, on the Patagonian coast, I could not see any sort of
nest among the cliffs, where the young ones were standing. I was told
that the young Condors could not fly for a whole year, but this probably
was a mistake, since M. D’Orbigny says they take to the wing in about a
month and a half after being hatched. On the fifth of March
(corresponding to our September), I saw a young bird at Concepcion,
which, though in size only little inferior to a full-grown one, was
completely covered by down, like that of a gosling, but of a blackish
colour. I can, however, scarcely believe that this bird could have used,
for some months subsequently, its wings for flight. After the period
when the young Condor can fly, apparently as well as the old birds, they
yet remain (as I observed in Patagonia) both roosting at night on the
same ledge, and hunting by day with their parents: but before the young
bird has the ruff round its neck white, it may often be seen hunting by
itself. At the mouth of the Santa Cruz, during part of April and May, a
pair of old birds might be seen every day, either perched on a certain
ledge, or sailing about in company with a single young one, which
latter, though full fledged, had not its ruff white.
The Condors generally live by pairs; but among the basaltic cliffs of
the plains, high up the river Santa Cruz, I found a spot where scores
must usually haunt. They were not shy; and on coming suddenly to the
brow of the precipice, it was a fine sight to see between twenty and
thirty of these great[1] birds start heavily from their resting place,
and wheel away in majestic circles. From the large quantity of dung on
the rocks, they must have long frequented this cliff; and probably they
both roost and breed there. Having gorged themselves with carrion on the
plains below, they retire to these favourite ledges to digest their food
in quietness. From these facts, the Condor must, to a certain degree be
considered, like the Gallinazo (_Cathartes atratus_), a gregarious bird.
In this part of the country they live almost entirely on the guanacoes,
which either have died a natural death, or, as more commonly happens,
have been killed by the pumas. I believe, from what I saw in Patagonia,
that they do not, on ordinary occasions, extend their daily excursions
to any great distance from their regular sleeping places.
The condors may oftentimes be seen at a great height, soaring over a
certain spot in the most graceful spires and circles. On some occasions
I am sure that they do this for their sport; but on others, the Chileno
countryman tells you, that they are watching a dying animal, or the puma
devouring its prey. If the condors glide down, and then suddenly all
rise together, the Chileno knows that it is the puma, which, watching
the carcass, has sprung out to drive away the robbers. Besides feeding
on carrion, the condors frequently attack young goats and lambs. Hence
the shepherds train their dogs, the moment the enemy passes over, to run
out, and looking upwards, to bark violently. The Chilenos destroy and
catch numbers; two methods are used: one is to place a carcass within an
enclosure of sticks on a level piece of ground, and when the condors
have gorged themselves to gallop up on horseback to the entrance, and
thus enclose them: for when this bird has not space to run, it cannot
give its body sufficient momentum to rise from the ground. The second
method is to mark the trees in which, frequently to the number of five
or six, they roost together, and then at night to climb up and noose
them; they are such heavy sleepers, as I have myself witnessed, that
this is not a difficult task. At Valparaiso I have seen a living condor
sold for sixpence, but the common price is eight or ten shillings. One
which I saw brought in for sale, had been lashed with a rope, and was
much injured; but the moment the line was cut by which its bill was
secured, it began, although surrounded by people, ravenously to tear a
piece of carrion. In a garden at the same place, between twenty and
thirty of these birds were kept alive; they were fed only once a week,
yet they appeared to be in pretty good health.[2] The Chileno countrymen
assert, that the condor will live and retain its powers between five and
six weeks without eating: I cannot answer for the truth of this fact,
but it is a cruel experiment, which very likely has been tried.
When an animal is killed in this country, it is well known that the
condors, like other carrion vultures, gain the intelligence and
congregate in a manner which often appears inexplicable. In most cases,
it must not be overlooked, that the birds have discovered their prey,
and have picked the skeleton clean, before the flesh is in the least
degree tainted. Remembering the opinion of M. Audubon on the deficient
smelling powers of such birds,[3] I tried in the above mentioned garden,
the following experiment. The condors were tied, each by a rope, in a
long row at the bottom of a wall. Having folded a piece of meat in white
paper, I walked backwards and forwards, carrying it in my hand at the
distance of about three yards from them; but no notice whatever was
taken of it. I then threw it on the ground within one yard of an old
cock bird; he looked at it for a moment with attention, but then
regarded it no more. With a stick I pushed it closer and closer, until
at last he touched it with his beak: the paper was then instantly torn
off with fury, and at the same moment every bird in the long row began
struggling and flapping its wings. Under the same circumstances, it
would have been quite impossible to have deceived a dog.
When the condors in a flock are wheeling round and round any spot, their
flight is beautiful. Except when they rise from the ground, I do not
recollect ever to have seen one flap its wings. Near Lima, I watched
several of these birds for a quarter and half an hour, without once
taking off my eyes. They moved in large curves, sweeping in circles,
descending and ascending without once flapping. As several glided close
over my head, I intently watched, from an oblique position, the separate
and terminal feathers of the wing; if there had been the least vibratory
movement, their outlines would have been blended together, but they were
seen distinct against the blue sky. The head and neck were moved
frequently, and apparently with force. If the bird wished to descend,
the wings were for a moment collapsed; and then, when again expanded
with an altered inclination, the momentum gained by the rapid descent,
seemed to urge the bird upwards, with the even and steady movement of a
paper kite. It was a beautiful spectacle thus to behold these great
vultures hour after hour, without any apparent exertion, wheeling and
gliding over mountain and river.
In the garden at Valparaiso, where so many condors were kept alive, I
observed that all the hens had the iris of their eyes bright red, but
the cocks yellowish brown. In a young bird, whose back was brown, and
ruff not white, (but which must have been at least nearly a year old, as
it was then the spring) I observed that the eye was dark brown: upon
examination after death, this proved to be a female, and therefore I
suppose the colour of the iris changes at the same time with the
plumage.
1. CATHARTES ATRATUS. _Rich. and Swain._
Cathartes urubu, _D’Orbigny._ Voy. Ois.
Vultur atratus, _Bartram_, p. 287.
—— jota, _Jardine’s_ Wilson, vol. iii. p. 236.
——, _Bonaparte’s_ List, p. 1.
Gallinazo or Cuervo of the Spanish inhabitants of America; and Black
Vulture or Carrion Crow of the English of that continent.
These birds, I believe, are never found further south, than the
neighbourhood of the Rio Negro, in latitude 41°: I never saw one in
southern Patagonia, or in Tierra del Fuego. They appear to prefer damp
places, especially the vicinity of rivers; and thus, although abundant
both at the Rio Negro and Colorado, they are not found on the
intermediate plains. Azara[4] states, that there existed a tradition in
his time, that on the first arrival of the Spaniards in the Plata, these
birds were not found in the neighbourhood of Monte Video, but that they
subsequently followed the inhabitants from more northern districts. M.
Al. D’Orbigny, in reference to this statement, observes that these
vultures, although common on the northern bank of the Plata, and
likewise on the rivers south of it, are not found in the neighbourhood
of Buenos Ayres, where the immense slaughtering establishments are
attended by infinite numbers of Polybori and gulls. M. D’Orbigny
supposes that their absence is owing to the scarcity of trees and bushes
in the Pampas; but this view, I think, will hardly hold good, inasmuch
as the country near Bahia Blanca, where the Gallinazo (together with the
carrion-feeding gull) is common, is as bare, if not more so, than the
plains near Buenos Ayres. I have never seen the Gallinazo in Chile; and
Molina, who was aware of the difference between the _C. atratus_ and _C.
aura_, has not noticed it; yet, on the opposite side of the Cordillera,
near Mendoza, it is common. They do not occur in Chiloe, or on the west
coast of the continent south of that island. In Wilson’s Ornithology it
is said that “the carrion crow (as this bird is called in the United
States) is seldom found on the Atlantic to the northward of Newbern,
lat. 35° North Carolina.” But in Richardson’s “Fauna Boreali-Americana,”
it is mentioned, on the authority of Mr. David Douglas, that on the
Pacific side of the continent, it is common on the marshy islands of the
Columbia, and in the neighbourhood of Lewis’s and Clark’s rivers
(45°–47° N.) It has, therefore, a wider range in the northern than in
the southern half of the continent. These vultures certainly are
gregarious; for they seem to have pleasure in each other’s society, and
are not solely brought together by the attraction of a common prey. On a
fine day, a flock may often be seen at a great height; each bird
wheeling round and round in the most graceful evolutions. This is
evidently done for their sport; or, perhaps, is connected (for a similar
habit may sometimes be observed during the breeding season amongst our
common rooks) with their matrimonial alliances.
2. CATHARTES AURA. _Illi._
Vultur aura, _Linn._
——, _Jardine’s Wilson_, vol. iii. p. 226.
Vultur jota, _Molina_, Compendio de la Hist. del Reyno de Chile, vol i.
p. 296.
Turkey buzzard and Carrion Crow of the English in America.
This bird has a wide geographical range, being found from 55° S. to Nova
Scotia (according to Wilson, in Jardine’s edition, vol. iii. p. 231,) in
45° N.; or exactly one hundred degrees of latitude. Its lesser range in
Northern than in Southern America is probably due to the more excessive
nature of the climate in the former hemisphere. It is said to be partly
migratory during winter, in the Northern and even in the Middle States,
and likewise on the shores of the Pacific. The _C. aura_ is found in the
extreme parts of Tierra del Fuego, and on the indented coast, covered
with thick forests, of West Patagonia, (but not on the arid plains of
Eastern Patagonia,) in Chile, where it is called Jote, in Peru, in the
West Indies; and, according to Wilson, it remains even during winter, in
New Jersey and Delaware, latitude 40°. It and one of the family of
Polyborinæ are the only two carrion-feeding hawks, which have found
their way to the Falkland Islands. The Turkey buzzard, as it is
generally called by the English, may be recognized at a great distance
from its lofty, soaring and most graceful flight. It is generally
solitary, or, at most, sweeps over the country in pairs. In Tierra del
Fuego, and on the west coast of Patagonia, it must live exclusively on
what the sea throws up, and on dead seals: wherever these animals in
herds were sleeping on the beach, there this vulture might be seen,
patiently standing on some neighbouring rock. At the Falkland Islands it
was tolerably common; but sometimes there would not be a single one near
the settlement for several days together, and then many would suddenly
appear. They were usually shy; a disposition which is remarkable, as
being different from that of almost every other bird in this
Archipelago. May we infer from this that they are migratory, like those
of the northern hemisphere? In a female specimen killed there, the skin
of the head was intermediate in colour between “scarlet and cochineal
red,”[5] and the iris dark coloured. D’Orbigny describes the iris as
being bright scarlet; whilst Azara says it is “jaune léger. Is this
difference owing to the sex and age, as certainly is the case with the
condors? As a considerable degree of confusion has prevailed in the
synonyms of this and the foregoing species, caused apparently by a doubt
to which of them Molina applied the name of _Jote_, I would wish to call
attention to the fact, that at the present time the _C. aura_ in Chile
goes by the name of _Jote_. Moreover, I think Molina’s description by
itself might have decided the question; he says, the head of the _Vultur
jota_ is naked, and covered only with a wrinkled and _reddish_ (roxiza)
skin.
FAMILY—FALCONIDÆ.
SUB-FAM. POLYBORINÆ, _Swains._
(Caracaridæ, D’Orbigny.)
POLYBORUS BRASILIENSIS. _Swains._
Polyborus vulgaris, _Vieillot_.
Falco Brasiliensis Auctorum; Caracara of Azara; Tharu of Molina; and
Carrancha of the inhabitants of La Plata.
This is one of the commonest birds in South America, and has a wide
geographical range. It is found in Mexico and in the West Indies. It is
also, according to M. Audubon, an occasional visitant to the Floridas;
it takes its name from Brazil, but is no where so common as on the
grassy savannahs of La Plata. It generally follows man, but is sometimes
found even on the most desert plains of Patagonia: in the northern part
of that region, numbers constantly attended the line of road between the
Rio Negro and the Colorado, to devour the carcasses of the animals which
chanced to perish from fatigue. Although abundant on the open plains of
this eastern portion of the continent, and likewise on the rocky and
barren shores of the Pacific, nevertheless it inhabits the borders of
the damp and impervious forests of Tierra del Fuego and of the broken
coast of West Patagonia, even as far south as Cape Horn. The Carranchas
(as the _Polyborus Brasiliensis_ is called in La Plata) together with
the _P. chimango_[6], attend in great numbers the estancias and
slaughtering houses in the neighbourhood of the Plata. If an animal dies
in the plain, the _Cathartes atratus_ or Gallinazo commences the feast,
and then these two carrion-feeding hawks pick the bones clean. Although
belonging to closely allied genera, and thus commonly feeding together,
they are far from being friends. When the Carrancha is quietly seated on
the branch of a tree, or on the ground, the Chimango often continues
flying backwards and forwards for a long time, up and down in a
semicircle, trying each time, at the bottom of the curve, to strike its
larger relative. The Carrancha takes little notice, except by bobbing
its head. Although the Carranchas frequently assemble in numbers, they
are not gregarious; for in desert places they may be seen solitary, or
more commonly by pairs. Besides the carrion of large animals, these
birds frequent the borders of streams and the sea beach, for the sake of
picking up whatever the waters may cast on shore. In Tierra del Fuego,
and on the west coast of Patagonia, they must live almost exclusively on
this last means of supply.
The Carranchas are said to be very crafty, and to steal great numbers of
eggs; they attempt also, together with the Chimango, to pick the scabs
off the sore backs of both horses and mules. On the one hand, the poor
animal, with its ears down and its back arched; and, on the other, the
hovering bird, eyeing at the distance of a yard, the disgusting morsel,
form a picture which has been described by Captain Head with his own
peculiar spirit and accuracy. The Carranchas kill wounded animals; but
Mr. Bynoe (the surgeon of the Beagle) saw one seize in the air a live
partridge, which, however, escaped, and was for some time chased on the
ground. I believe this circumstance is very unusual: at all events there
is no doubt that the chief part of their sustenance is derived from
carrion. A person will discover their _necrophagous_ habits by walking
out on one of the desolate plains, and there lying down to sleep: when
he awakes, he will see on each surrounding hillock, one of these birds
patiently watching him with an evil eye. It is a feature in the
landscape of these countries, which will be recognised by every one who
has wandered over them. If a party goes out hunting with dogs and
horses, it will be accompanied during the day, by several of these
attendants. The uncovered craw of the Carrancha, after feeding,
protrudes from its breast; at such times it is, and indeed generally, an
inactive, tame, and cowardly bird. Its flight is generally heavy and
slow, like that of the English carrion crow, whose place it so well
supplies in America. It seldom soars; but I have twice seen one at a
great height gliding through the air with much ease. It runs (in
contradistinction to hopping), but not quite so quickly as some of its
congeners. At times the Carrancha is noisy, but is not generally so; its
cry is loud, very harsh and peculiar, and may be compared to the sound
of the Spanish guttural _g_, followed by a rough double _r r_. Perhaps
the Spaniards of Buenos Ayres, from this cause, have called it
Carrancha. Molina, who says it is called Tharu in Chile, states, that
when uttering this cry, it elevates its head higher and higher, till at
last, with its beak wide open, the crown almost touches the lower part
of the back. This fact, which has been doubted, is true; for I have
myself several times seen them with their heads backwards, in a
completely inverted position. The Carrancha builds a large coarse nest,
either in a low cliff, or in a bush or lofty tree. To these observations
I may add, on the high authority of Azara, whose statements have lately
been so fully confirmed by M. D’Orbigny, that the Carrancha feeds on
worms, shells, slugs, grasshoppers, and frogs; that it destroys young
lambs by tearing the umbilical cord: and that it pursues the Gallinazos
and gulls which attend the slaughtering-houses, till these birds are
compelled to vomit up any carrion they may have lately gorged. Lastly,
Azara states that several Carranchas, five or six together, will unite
in chase of large birds, even such as herons. All these facts show that
it is a bird of very versatile habits and considerable ingenuity.
I am led to suppose that the young birds of this species sometimes
congregate together. On the plains of Santa Cruz (lat. 50° S. in
Patagonia), I saw in the month of April, or early autumn, between twenty
and thirty Polybori, which I at first thought would form a species
distinct from _P. Brasiliensis_. Amongst those I killed, there were some
of both sexes; but the ovarium in the hens was only slightly granular.
The plumage of the different individuals was nearly similar; and in none
appeared like that of an adult bird, although certainly not of a very
young one. Having mentioned these circumstances to Mr. Gould, he
likewise suspected it would form a new species; but the differences
appear so trifling between it and the specimens of young birds in the
British Museum and in the Museum of the Zoological Society, and likewise
of the figure of a young bird given by Spix, (Avium Species Novæ, vol.
i. p. 3.), that I have thought it advisable merely to allude to the
circumstance. In my specimen, which is a cock, the head, instead of
being of a dark brown, which is the usual character of even very
immature birds, is of a pale rusty brown. The bill and cere are less
produced than in the adult _P. Brasiliensis_; and the cere is of a
brighter colour, than what appears to be usual in the young of this
species. In other respects there is such a perfect similarity between
them, that I do not hesitate to consider my specimen as a young bird of
the _P. Brasiliensis_ in one of its states of change;—and to be subject
to great variation of plumage during growth, is known to be a character
common to the birds of this sub-family. It may, however, possibly be
some variety of the _P. Brasiliensis_, for this bird seems subject to
variation: Azara (Voyage dans l’Amérique Méridionale, vol. iii. p. 35.)
remarks, “Il y a des individus dont les teintes sont plus faibles, ou
d’un brun pâle, avec des taches sur la poitrine, et d’autres qui ont des
couleurs plus foncées; j’ai décrit ceux qui tiennent le milieu entre les
uns et les autres.”
I have myself more than once observed a single very pale coloured bird,
in form like the _P. Brasiliensis_, mingled with the other
carrion-feeding hawks on the banks of the Plata; and there is now in the
British Museum a specimen, which may be considered as partly an albino.
Spix, on the other hand, (Avium Species Novæ, p. 3.) has described some
specimens from the coast of Brazil, as being remarkable from the
darkness of the plumage of their wings.
MILVAGO, _Spix_.
Several new genera have lately been established to receive certain
species of the sub-family of _Polyborinæ_, and consequently great
confusion exists in their arrangement. Mr. George R. Gray has been kind
enough to give me the following observations, by which it appears he has
clearly made out, that Spix’s genus _Milvago_, is that which ought to be
retained. M. D’Orbigny has made two sections in the genus _Polyborus_,
according as the craw is covered with feathers, or is naked, and he
states that the _P. Brasiliensis_ is the only species which comes within
the latter division; but we shall afterwards see that the _Falco Novæ
Zelandiæ_, Auct. (the _Milvago leucurus_ of this work) has a naked craw,
which is largely protruded after the bird has eaten. M. D’Orbigny has
also instituted the genus _Phalcobænus_, to receive a bird of this
sub-family, with the following characters:
“Bec fortement comprimé, sans aucune dent ni sinus, à commissure
trèsarquée à son extrémité; cire alongée et droite; un large espace nu
entourant la partie antérieure et inférieure de l’œil, et s’étendant sur
toute la mandibule inférieure; tarses emplumés sur un tiers de leur
longueur, le reste réticulé; doigts longs, semblables à ceux des
gallinacés, terminés par les ongles longs, deprimés et élargis, très-peu
arqués, toujours à extrémité obtuse ou fortement usée; ailes de la
famille, la troisième penne plus longue que les autres.”
Mr. George R. Gray, however, has pointed out to me that Spix, (in his
Avium Species Novæ) ten years since, made a division in this sub-family,
from the rounded form of the nostril of one of the species, namely, the
_M. ochrocephalus_ of his work, or the _Chimachima_ of Azara. And Mr.
Gray thinks, that all the species may be grouped much more nearly in
relation to their affinities by this character, than by any other: he
further adds;—“The only difference which I can discover between this
latter genus (_Milvago_), and D’Orbigny’s (_Phalcobænus_), is, that in
the latter the bill is rather longer, and not quite so elevated in the
culmen as in the former; and these characters must be considered too
trivial for the foundation of a generic division. I, therefore, propose
to retain Spix’s genus, _Milvago_, for all those _Polyborinæ_ which
possess _rounded nostrils with an elevated bony tubercle in the centre_.
They were once considered to form three distinct genera, viz.—Milvago,
_Spix._ (Polyborus, _Vieill._ Haliaëtus, _Cuv._ Aquila, _Meyen._)—Senex,
_Gray_. (Circaëtus, _Less._)—Phalcobænus, _D’Orb._ but a careful
comparison of the several species, shows a regular gradation in
structure from one to the other, which induces me to consider them as
only forming two sections of one genus. Those which have the bill short,
with the culmen arched, and are of small size, slender form, and with
the tarsi rather long and slender, are—
1. Milvago ochrocephalus, _Spix._
Polyborus chimachima; _Vieill._ (young).
Falco degener, _Licht._
Haliaëtus chimachima, _Less._
2. Milvago pezoporos, _nob._
Aquila pezopora, _Meyen._
3. Milvago chimango, _n._
Polyborus chimango, _Vieill._
Haliaëtus chimango, _Less._
Those which have a buteo-like appearance, and with rather short and
stout tarsi, are,
5. Milvago leucurus, _n._
Falco leucurus, _Forster’s_ Drawings No. 34.
Falco Novæ Zealandiæ, _Gm._
—— Australis, _Lath._
Circaëtus antarcticus, _Less._
Falco Australis, _Jard. & Selby’s III. Orn._ n. s. pl. 24.
6. Milvago albogularis, _n._
Polyborus (Phalcobænus ?) albogularis, _Gould._
7. Milvago montanus, _n._
Phalcobænus montanus, _D’Orb._
8. Milvago megalopterus, _n._
Aquila megaloptera, _Meyen._
1. MILVAGO PEZOPOROS.
Aquila pezopora, _Meyen._ Nov. Act. Phys. Med. Acad. Cæs. Leo. Car. Nat.
Cur. suppl. 1834. p. 62. pl. VI.
I obtained two specimens of this bird, one from Port Desire, in
Patagonia, and another at the extreme southern point of Tierra del
Fuego. Meyen[7] describes it as common on the plains of Chile, and on
the mountains to an elevation of 4000 or 5000 feet. As M. D’Orbigny does
not notice this species, I presume it is not found on the Atlantic side
of the continent, so far north as the Rio Negro, where he resided for
some time. The habits and general appearance of _M. chimango_ and this
bird are so entirely similar, that I did not perceive that the species
were different; hence I cannot speak with certainty of their range, but
it would appear probable that the _M. pezoporus_ replaces in Chile,
Tierra del Fuego and Southern Patagonia the _M. chimango_ of La Plata.
In the same manner the _M. chimango_ is replaced between the latitudes
of Buenos Ayres and Corrientes by a third closely allied species, the
_M. ochrocephalus_. D’Orbigny, (p. 614, in the Zoological part of his
work) speaking of the Chimango, says, “Il n’est pas étonnant qu’on ait
long-temps confondu cette espèce avec le _falco degener_, Illiger, (the
_M. ochrocephalus_) et qu’on l’ait cru de sa famille. Il est impossible
de présenter plus de rapports de forme et surtout de couleur. Nous les
avions, nous-même confondus au premier abord; mais, en remarquant,
ultérieurement, que le sujet que nous regardions comme le mâle ne se
trouvait qu’à Corrientes, tandis qu’il y avait seulement des femelles
sur les rives de la Plata, l’étude plus attentive des mœurs de ces
oiseaux, et les localités respectives qu’habite chacun d’eux, ne tarda
pas à nous y faire reconnaître, avec Azara, deux espèces vraiment
trèsdistinctes; mais qui, depuis, ont encore été confondues, sous la
même nom, par M. la Prince Maximilien de Neuwied.[8]” I may observe that
the figure given in Meyen’s work, has the iris coloured bright red,
instead of which it should have been brown.
2. MILVAGO CHIMANGO.
Polyborus chimango, _Vieill._
Haliaëtus chimango, _Less._
Chimango, _Azar._ Voyage, vol. iii. p. 35.
My specimen was obtained at Maldonado, on the banks of the Plata. In the
following short account of the habits of this bird, it must be
understood that I have confounded together, the _M. chimango_ and the
_M. pezoporus_; but I am certain that almost every remark is applicable
to both species. From what has been said under the last head, it may be
inferred, that both of these allied birds have comparatively limited
ranges, compared with that of the _P. Brasiliensis_. Azara says the
Chimango (and he first distinguished this species from the _M.
ochrocephalus_, or _M. chimachima_) is rarely found so far north as
Paraguay. D’Orbigny saw the Chimango (_M. pezoporus ?_) at Arica in lat.
16°, and I killed the _M. pezoporus_ in the extreme southern point of
America, in lat. 55° 30′ south.
The Chimango, in La Plata, lives chiefly on carrion, and generally is
the last bird of its tribe which leaves the skeleton, and hence it may
frequently be seen standing within the ribs of a cow or horse, like a
bird in a cage. The Chimango often frequents the sea-coast and the
borders of lakes and swamps, where it picks up small fish. It is truly
omnivorous, and will eat even bread, when thrown out of a house with
other offal. I was also assured that in Chiloe, these birds (probably in
this district the _M. pezoporus_) materially injure the potato crops, by
stocking up the roots when first planted. In the same island, I saw them
following by scores the plough, and feeding on worms and larvæ of
insects. I do not believe that they kill, under any circumstances, even
small birds or animals. They are more active than the Carranchas, but
their flight is heavy; I never saw one soar; they are very tame; are not
gregarious; commonly perch on stone walls, and not upon trees. They
frequently utter a gentle, shrill scream.
3. MILVAGO LEUCURUS.
Falco leucurus, _Forster’s_ Drawings, No. 34. MS.
—— Novæ Zelandiæe, _Gm._
—— australis, _Lath._
Circaëtus antarcticus, _Less._
It will be observed in the above list of synonyms, which I have given on
the authority of Mr. G. R. Gray, that this bird, although possessing
well marked characters, has received several specific names. Mr. Gray’s
discovery of Forster’s original drawing with the name _F. leucurus_
written on it, I consider very fortunate, as it was indispensable that
the names by which it is mentioned in most ornithological works, namely,
_Falco_ or _Polyborus Novæ Zelandiæ_, should be changed. There is not, I
believe, the slightest reason for supposing that this bird has ever been
found in New Zealand. All the specimens which of late years have been
brought to England have come from the Falkland Islands, or the extreme
southern portion of South America. The sub-family, moreover, to which it
belongs, is exclusively American; and I do not know of any case of a
land-bird being common to this continent and New Zealand. The origin of
this specific name, which is so singularly inappropriate, as tending to
perpetuate a belief which would form a strange anomaly in the
geographical distribution of these birds, may be explained by the
circumstance of specimens having been first brought to Europe by the
naturalists during Captain Cook’s second voyage, during which New
Zealand was visited, and a large collection made there. In the homeward
voyage, however, Cook anchored in Christmas Sound, in Tierra del Fuego,
and likewise in Staten Land: describing the latter place he says, “I
have often observed the _eagles_ and _vultures_ sitting on the hillocks
among the shags, without the latter, either young or old, being
disturbed at their presence. It may be asked how these birds of prey
live? I suppose on the carcasses of seals and birds, which die by
various causes; and probably not few, as they are so numerous.” From
this description I entertain very little doubt that Cook referred to the
_Cathartes aura_ and _Milvago leucurus_, both of which birds inhabit
these latitudes, as we shall hereafter show.
The plumage in the two sexes of this species differs in a manner unusual
in the family to which it belongs. The description given in all
systematic works is applicable, as I ascertained by dissection, only to
the old females; namely, back and breast black, with the feathers of the
neck having a white central mark following the shaft,—tectrices, with a
broad white band at extremity; thighs and part of the belly rufous-red;
beak “ash gray,” with cere and tarsi “Dutch orange.”
MALE of smaller size than female: dark brown; with tail, pointed
feathers of shoulders and base of primaries, pale rusty brown. On the
breast, that part of each feather which is nearly white in the female,
is pale brown: bill black, cere white, tarsi gray. As may be inferred
from this description, the female is a much more beautiful bird than the
male, and all the tints, both of the dark and pale colours, are much
more strongly pronounced. From this circumstance, it was long before I
would believe that the sexes were as here described. But the Spaniards,
who are employed in hunting wild cattle, and who (like the aboriginal
inhabitants of every country) are excellent practical observers,
constantly assured me that the small birds with gray legs were the males
of the larger ones with legs and cere of an orange colour, and thighs
with rufous plumage.
The YOUNG MALE can only be distinguished from the adult bird by its beak
not being so black, or cere so white; and likewise in a trifling
difference of plumage, such as in the markings of the pointed feathers
about the head and neck, being more like those of the female than of the
old cock. One specimen, which I obtained at the Falkland Islands, I
suppose is a one-year-old female; but its organs of generation were
smooth: in size larger than the male; the tail dark brown, with the tip
of each feather pale colour, instead of being almost black with a white
band; under tail-coverts dark brown, instead of rufous; thighs only
partly rufous, and chiefly on the inner sides; feathers on breast and
shoulder like those of male, with part near shaft brown; those on back
of head with white, like those of adult females. Beak, lower mandible
gray, upper black and gray (in the old female the whole is pale gray);
the edge of cere and the soles of the feet orange, instead of the whole
of the cere, tarsi, and toes being thus coloured. The circumstance of
the young birds of, at least, one year and a half old, as well as of the
adult males, being brown coloured, will, I believe, alone account for
the singular fewness of the individuals with rufous thighs, a fact which
at first much surprised me.
The _Milvago leucurus_ is exceedingly numerous at the Falkland Islands,
and, as an old sealer who had long frequented these seas remarked to me,
this Archipelago appears to be their metropolis. I was informed, by the
same authority, that they are found on the Diego Ramirez Rocks, the Il
Defonso islands, and on some others, but never on the mainland of Tierra
del Fuego. This statement I can corroborate to a certain degree, since I
never saw one in the southern part of Tierra del Fuego, near Cape Horn,
which was twice visited during our voyage. They are not found on
Georgia, or on the other antarctic islands. In many respects these hawks
very closely resemble in their habits the _P. Brasiliensis_. They live
on the flesh of dead animals, and on marine productions. On the Ramirez
Rocks, which support no vegetation, and therefore no land-animals, their
entire sustenance must depend upon the sea. At the Falkland Islands they
were extraordinarily tame and fearless; and constantly haunted the
neighbourhood of the houses to pick up all kinds of offal. If a hunting
party in the country killed a beast, these birds immediately congregated
from all quarters of the horizon; and standing on the ground in a
circle, they patiently awaited for their feast to commence. After
eating, their uncovered craws are _largely_ protruded, giving to them a
disgusting appearance. I mention this particularly, because M. D’Orbigny
says that the _P. Brasiliensis_ is the only bird of this family in which
the craw is much developed. They readily attack wounded birds; one of
the officers of the Beagle told me he saw a cormorant in this state fly
to the shore, where several of these hawks immediately seized upon it,
and hastened its death by their repeated blows. I have been told that
several have been seen to wait together at the mouth of a rabbit hole,
and seize on the animal as it comes out. This is acting on a principle
of union, which is sufficiently remarkable in birds of prey; but which
is in strict conformity with the fact stated by Azara, namely, that
several Carranchas unite together in pursuit of large birds, even such
as herons.
The Beagle was at the Falkland Islands only during the early autumn
(March), but the officers of the Adventure, who were there in the
winter, mentioned many extraordinary instances of the boldness and
rapacity of these birds. The sportsmen had difficulty in preventing the
wounded geese from being seized before their eyes; and often, when
having cautiously looked round, they thought they had succeeded in
hiding a fine bird in some crevice of the rocks, on their return, they
found, when intending to pick up their game, nothing but feathers. One
of these hawks pounced on a dog which was lying asleep close by a party,
who were out shooting; and they repeatedly flew on board the vessel
lying in the harbour, so that it was necessary to keep a good look-out
to prevent the hide used about the ropes, being torn from the rigging,
and the meat or game from the stern. They are very mischievous and
inquisitive; and they will pick up almost anything from the ground: a
large black glazed hat was carried nearly a mile, as was a pair of heavy
balls, used in catching wild cattle. Mr. Usborne experienced, during the
survey, a severe loss, in a small Kater’s-compass, in a red morocco
case, which was never recovered. These birds are, moreover quarrelsome,
and extremely passionate; it was curious to behold them when, impatient,
tearing up the grass with their bills from rage. They are not truly
gregarious; they do not soar, and their flight is heavy and clumsy. On
the ground they run with extreme quickness, putting out one leg before
the other, and stretching forward their bodies, very much like
pheasants. The sealers, who have sometimes, when pressed by hunger,
eaten them, say that the flesh when cooked is quite white, like that of
a fowl, and very good to eat—a fact which I, as well as some others of a
party from the Beagle, who, owing to a gale of wind, were left on shore
in northern Patagonia, until we were very hungry, can answer for, is far
from being the case with the flesh of the Carrancha, or _Polyborus
Brasiliensis_. It is a strange anomaly that any of the _Falconidæ_
should possess such perfect powers of running as is the case with this
bird, and likewise with the _Phalcobænus montanus_ of D’Orbigny. It
perhaps, indicates an obscure relationship with the Gallinaceous order—a
relation which M. D’Orbigny suggests is still more plainly shown in the
Secretary Bird, which he believes represents in Southern Africa, the
_Polyborinæ_ of America.
The _M. leucurus_ is a noisy bird, and utters several harsh cries; of
which, one is so like that of the English rook, that the sealers always
call it by this name. It is a curious circumstance, as shewing how, in
allied species, small details of habit accompany similar structure, that
these hawks throw their heads upwards and backwards, in the same strange
manner, as the Carranchas (the Tharu of Molina) have been described to
do. The _M. leucurus_, builds on the rocky cliffs of the sea-coast, but
(as I was informed) only on the small outlying islets, and never on the
two main islands: this is an odd precaution for so fearless a bird.
4. MILVAGO ALBOGULARIS.
PLATE I.
Polyborus, (Phalcobænus) albogularis, _Gould_, Proceedings of Zoolog.
Soc. Part V. (Jan. 1837.) p. 9.
_M. Fæm. fuscescenti-niger, marginibus plumarum inter scapulas fulvis;
primariis secundariisque albo ad apicem notatis; gulá, pectore,
corporeque subtùs albis; lateribus fusco sparsis; rostro livido,
lineis nigris ornato; cerâ tarsisque flavis._
Long. tot. 20 unc. ½ rostri, 1⅝; alæ, 15¾; caudæ, 9; tarsi, 3.
_Description of female specimen, believed to be applicable to both
sexes._
COLOUR.—Head, back, upper wing coverts pitch black, passing into liver
brown; feathers on back of neck and shoulders terminating in a
yellowish brown tip, of which tint the external portion of the
primaries, and nearly the whole of the tertiaries partake. Tail
liver brown, with a terminal white band nearly one inch broad; base
of the tectrices white, irregularly marked with brown: upper tail
coverts white. All the feathers of the wing tipped with white, their
bases irregularly barred with transverse marks of brown and white.
_Under surface._—Chin, throat, breast, belly, thighs, under
tail-coverts, under lining of wings, and edge of shoulders perfectly
white. On the flanks, however, there are some brown feathers
irregularly interspersed; and on the lower part of the breast, most
of the feathers show a most obscure margin of pale brown. Bill horn
colour. Cere and tarsi yellow.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 1._
_Milvago albogularis_
]
FORM.—Cere and nostril as in the _M. Leucurus_, but the bill not quite
so strong. Feathers on the sides and back of head narrow and rather
stiff; those on the shoulders obtusely pointed,—which character of
plumage is very general in this sub-family. Wing: fourth primary
very little longer than the third or the fifth, which are equal to
each other. First primary three inches shorter than the fourth or
longest, and more nearly equal to the sixth than to the seventh.
Extremity of wing reaching to within about an inch and a half of the
tail. Tarsi reticulated, with four large scales at the base: upper
part covered with plumose feathers for about three quarters of an
inch below the knee; but these feathers hang down and cover nearly
half of the leg. Middle toe with fifteen scales, outer ones with
about nine. Claws of nearly the same degree of strength, curvature
and breadth as in _Polyborus Brasiliensis_, or in _M. leucurus_, but
sharper than those of the latter.
Inch.
Total length 20½
Tail 9
Wings when folded 15¾
From tip of beak to anterior edge of eye ⁹⁄₁₀
Tarsus from soles of feet to knee joint 3½
Hind claw measured in straight line from tip to root ⁸⁄₁₀
Claw of middle toe, a twentieth less than that of the hind one.
Habitat, Santa Cruz, 50° S. Patagonia. (_April._)
Mr. Gould, at the time of describing this species, entertained some
doubts whether it might not eventually prove to be the _Phalcobænus
montanus_ of D’Orbigny, in a state of change. I have carefully compared
it with the description of the _P. montanus_, and certainly, with the
exception of the one great difference of _M. albogularis_ having a white
breast, whilst that part in the _P. montanus_ is black, the points of
resemblance are numerous and exceedingly close. The _M. albogularis_,
appears to be rather larger, and the proportional length of the wing
feathers are slightly different; the cere and tarsi are not of so bright
a colour; the middle toe has fifteen scales on it instead of having
sixteen or seventeen. The black shades of the upper surface are pitchy,
instead of having an obscure metallic gloss, and the feathers of the
shoulders are terminated with brown, so as to form a collar, which is
not represented in the figure of _P. montanus_, given by M. D’Orbigny.
Although the main difference between the two birds, is the colour of
their breasts, yet it must be observed, that in the _M. albogularis_
there is some indication of an incipient change from white to brown in
the plumage of that part. But as M. D’Orbigny, who was acquainted with
the young birds of the _P. montanus_, (of which he has given a figure),
does not mention so remarkable a modification in its plumage, as must
take place on the supposition of _M. albogularis_ being an immature bird
of that species; and as the geographical range of the two is so very
different, I am induced to consider them distinct. Moreover, on the
plains of Santa Cruz, I saw several birds, and they appeared to me
similar in their colouring. The _M. albogularis_ is remarkable from the
confined locality which it appears to frequent. A few pair were seen
during the ascent of the river Santa Cruz, (Lat. 50° S.) to the
Cordillera; but not one individual was observed in any other part of
Patagonia. They appeared to me to resemble, in their gait and manner of
flight, the _P. Brasiliensis_; but they were rather wilder. They lived
in pairs, and generally were near the river. One day I observed a couple
standing with the Carranchas and _M. pezoporus_, at a short distance
from the carcass of a guanaco, on which the condors had commenced an
attack. These peculiarities of habit are described by M. D’Orbigny in
almost the same words, as occurring with the _P. montanus_; both birds
frequent desert countries; the _P. montanus_, however, haunts the great
mountains of Bolivia, and this species, the open plains of Patagonia.
In the valleys north of 30° in Chile, I saw several pair, either of this
species, or of the _P. montanus_ of D’Orbigny, (if, as is probable, they
are different) or of some third kind. From the circumstance of its not
extending (as I believe) so far south even as the valley of Coquimbo, it
is extremely improbable that it should be the _M. albogularis_,—an
inhabitant of a plain country twenty degrees further south. On the other
hand, the _P. montanus_ lives at a great elevation on the mountains of
Upper Peru; and therefore it is probable that it might be found in a
higher latitude, but at a less elevation. M. D’Orbigny says, “Elle aime
les terrains secs et dépourvus de grands végétaux, qui lui seraient
inutiles; car il nous est prouvé qu’elle ne se perche pas sur les
branches.” In another part he adds, “Elle descend cependant quelquefois
jusque près de la mer, sur la côte du Pérou, mais ce n’est que pour peu
de temps, et peut-être afin d’y chercher momentanément une nourriture
qui lui manque dans son séjour habituel; peut-être aussi la nature du
sol l’y attire-t-elle; car elle y trouve les terrains arides qui lui
sont propres.”[9] This is so entirely the character of the northern
parts of Chile, that, it appears to me extremely probable, that the _P.
montanus_, which inhabits the great mountains of Bolivia, descends, in
Northern Chile, to near the shores of the Pacific; but that further
south, and on the opposite side of the Cordillera, it is replaced by an
allied species,—the _M. albogularis_ of Santa Cruz.
5. MILVAGO MEGALOPTERUS.
Aquila megaloptera, _Meyen_, Nov. Act. Acad. Cæs. Suppl. 1834, p. 64.
Pl. VIII.
When ascending the Despoblado, a branch of the valley of Copiapó in
Northern Chile, I saw several brown coloured hawks, which at the time
appeared new to me, but of which I did not procure a specimen. These I
have no doubt were the _A. megaloptera_ of Meyen. In the British Museum
there is a specimen, brought from Chile by Mr. Crawley. Mr. G. R. Gray
suspects that this bird may eventually prove to be the young of the
_Phalcobænus montanus_ of D’Orbigny, and as I saw that bird (or another
species having a close general resemblance with it) in the valleys of
Northern Chile, although not in the immediate vicinity, this supposition
is by no means improbable. Meyen’s figure at first sight appears very
different from that of the young of the _P. montanus_, given by M.
D’Orbigny, for in the latter the feathers over nearly the whole body are
more distinctly bordered with a pale rufous shade, the thighs barred
with the same, and the general tint is of a much redder brown. But with
the exception of these differences, which are only in degree, I can find
in M. D’Orbigny’s description no other distinguishing character, whilst
on the other hand, there are numerous points of close resemblance
between the two birds in the shadings, and even trifling marks of their
plumage. Meyen, moreover, in describing the habits of his species, says,
it frequents a region just below the limit of perpetual snow, and that
it sometimes soars at a great height like a condor. Those which I saw
had the general manners of a _Polyborus_ or _Milvago_, and were flying
from rock to rock amongst the mountains at a considerable elevation, but
far below the snow-line. In these several respects, there is a close
agreement with the habits of the _P. montanus_, as described by M.
D’Orbigny. I will only add that the specimen in the British Museum
appeared, independently of differences of plumage, distinct from the _M.
albogularis_ of Patagonia, from the thinness and greater prolongation of
its beak, and the slenderness of its tarsi.
SUB-FAM.—BUTEONINÆ.
CRAXIREX. _Gould._
_Rostrum Buteonis sed longius; mandibulæ superioris margo rectus;
versus apicem subitò incurvus. Alæ elongatæ. Cera lata. Nares ferè
rotundæ, apertæ. Tarsi mediocres, anticè squamis tecti. Digiti
magni, fortes; ungues obtusæ._
Mr. Gould was partly led to institute this genus from the facts
communicated to him by me regarding the habits of the following species,
which is found in the Galapagos Archipelago, and there supplies the
place of the Polybori and Milvagines of the neighbouring continent of
America. If a principle of classification founded on habits alone, were
admissible, this bird, as will presently be shown, undoubtedly would be
ranked with more propriety in the sub-family of Polyborinæ, than amongst
the Buzzards. To the latter it is closely related in the form of its
nostrils; in the kind of plumage which covers the head, breast, and
shoulders; in the reticulation of the scales on its feet and tarsi, and
less closely in the form of its beak. To the Polyborinæ it manifests an
affinity in the great strength and length of its toes and claws, and in
the bluntness of the latter; in the nakedness of the cere, in the
perfectly uncovered nostrils, in the prolongation and bulk of the bill,
in the straightness of the line of commissure, and in the narrow shape
of the head. In these several respects, taken conjointly with its
habits, this bird supplies a most interesting link in the chain of
affinities, by which the true buzzards pass into the great American
sub-family of carrion-feeding hawks. I am, indeed, unable to decide,
whether I have judged rightly in placing this genus, as first of the
Buteoninæ, instead of last of the Polyborinæ.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 2._
_Craxirex Galapagoensis_
]
CRAXIREX GALAPAGOENSIS. _Gould._
PLATE II.
Polyborus Galapagoensis. Proceedings of the Zoological Society for
January, 1837, p. 9.
_C. Mas. adult, Intensè fuscus; primariis nigris; secundariarum
pogoniis internis transversim albo et fusco striatis; caudâ
cinerascenti-fuscâ, transversim lineis angustis et numerosis intensè
fuscis notatâ; rostro obscure corneo; pedibus olivaceo-flavis._
Long. tot. 20½ unc.; _rostri_, 1½; _alæ_, 15; _caudæ_, 8½; _tarsi_,
3¼.
_Fæm. adult, fæminæ juniori ferè similis, pectore tamen fusco._
_Fæm. juv. Capite corporeque intensè stramineis, fusco-variegatis;
illo in pectore et abdomine prævalente; primariis fusco-nigris;
rectricum pogoniis externè cinerascenti-fuscis, internè pallide
rosaceis; utrisque lineis angustis et frequentibus fuscis
transversim striatis, apicibus sordide albis; rostro
nigrescenti-fusco; pedibus olivaceo-flavis._
Long. tot. 24 unc.; _rostri_, 1¾; _alæ_, 17¼; _caudæ_, 10½; _tarsi_,
3½.
_Description of adult male._
COLOUR.—Entire dorsal aspect umber brown: base of feathers on hind
part of neck, white; base of those on back, irregularly banded with
pale fulvous, and the scapulars with a distinct band of it. The
inferior feathers of upper tail coverts banded in like manner to
their extremities. Tail dusky clove brown, obscurely marked with
darkened transverse narrow bands. Primaries perfectly black towards
their extremities, but with the outer edge of their base, gray:
inner web banded and freckled with gray, brown, and white, which in
the secondaries takes the form of regular bars. _Under surface_,
entirely umber brown, but rather paler than the upper. Lining of
wings gray, with irregular transverse brown bars: under-side of tail
the same, but paler. Thighs of a rather yellower brown. Bill and
cere horn colour, mottled with pale gray: tarsi yellow.
FORM.—Beak, with apex much arched, both longer and more pointed than
it is in the group of the Polyborinæ. Cere naked, with few bristles;
nostrils large, quite uncovered, irregularly triangular, with the
angles much rounded, and situated rather above a central line
between the culmen and commissure. Fourth primary longest, but third
and fifth nearly equal to it; first, four inches and a half shorter
than fourth, and equal to the eighth; second shorter than fifth.
Extremities of wing reaching within half an inch of end of tail.
Tarsi strong, feathered for nearly a third of their length beneath
the joint. Scales in narrow, undivided (with the exception in some
instances of one) bands, covering the front of tarsus. Toes very
strong and rather long, like those of the species of _Milvago_, and
much more so than in the genus _Buteo_. Hind-toe equal in length to
the inner one; but not placed quite so high on the Tarsus as in
_Polyborus_. Basal joints of middle toe covered with small scales,
with five large ones towards the extremity. Claws very strong, thick
and long, and rather more arched, and broader than in _Polyborus
Brasiliensis_; their extremities obtuse, but not in so great a
degree as in some species of _Milvago_.
Inches.
Total length from tip of bill to end of tail following
curvature of body 20½
Tail 8½
Wing, from elbow-joint to extremity of longest primary 15
Bill, from tip to anterior edge of eye measured in a straight
line ⁷⁄₁₀
Tarsus, from soles of feet to centre of joint 3½
Hind claw from tip to root, measured in straight line 1⅒
Claw of middle toe ⁹⁵⁄₁₀₀
_Old female._
COLOUR.—Nearly as in young female, but with the breast dark brown.
_Young female._
COLOUR.—Head, back of neck, back, wing coverts and tertiaries barred
and mottled, both with pale umber brown (of the same tint as in the
male bird) and with pale fulvous orange. On head and back of neck,
each feather is of the latter colour, with a mere patch of the brown
on its tip; but in the longer feathers, as in the scapulars, upper
tail coverts, inner web and part of outer of the tertiaries, each is
distinctly barred with the dark brown. Tail as in the old male.
Primaries black as in male, with the inner webs nearly white, and
marked with short transverse bars. Under surface and thighs of the
same fulvous orange, but some of the feathers, especially those on
the breast, are marked with small spots of umber brown on their
tips. Some of the longer feathers on the flanks, on the under tail
coverts, and on the linings of the wing, have irregular bars of the
same.
FORM and SIZE.—Larger and more robust than the male. Total length 24
inches. Tail ten and a half inches long, and therefore longer in
proportion to the wings than in the other sex. Wings from joint to
end of primaries, 17¼.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago, (_October_).
This bird is, I believe, confined to the Galapagos Archipelago, where on
all the islands, it is excessively numerous. It inhabits, indifferently,
either the dry sterile region near the coast, which, perhaps, is its
most general resort, or the damp and wooded summits of the volcanic
hills. This bird, in most of its habits and disposition, resembles the
_Milvago leucurus_, or the _Falco Novæ Zelandiæ_ of older authors. It is
extremely tame, and frequents the neighbourhood of any building
inhabited by man. When a tortoise is killed even in the midst of the
woods, these birds immediately congregate in great numbers, and remain
either seated on the ground, or on the branches of the stunted trees,
patiently waiting to devour the intestines, and to pick the carapace
clean, after the meat has been cut away. These birds will eat all kinds
of offal thrown from the houses, and dead fish and marine productions
cast up by the sea. They are said to kill young doves, and even
chickens; and are very destructive to the little tortoises, as soon as
they break through the shell. In these respects this bird shows its
alliance with the buzzards. Its flight is neither elegant nor swift. On
the ground it is able, like the _M. leucurus_ and _Phalcobænus montanus_
of D’Orbigny, to run very quickly. This habit which, as before observed,
is so anomalous in the Falcons, manifests in a very striking manner the
relation of this new genus with the _Polyborinæ_. It is, also, a noisy
bird, and utters many different cries, one of which was so very like the
shrill gentle scream of the _M. chimango_, that the officers of the
“Beagle” generally called it either by this name, or from its larger
size by that of _Carrancha_,—both names, however, plainly indicating its
close and evident relationship with the birds of that family. The craw
is feathered; and does not, I believe, protrude like that of the _P.
Brasiliensis_ or _M. leucurus_. It builds in trees, and the female was
just beginning to lay in October. The bird of which the full figure has
been given, is a young female, but of, at least, one year old. The old
male bird is of a uniform dusky plumage, and is seen behind. The adult
female resembles the young of the same sex, but the breast is dark brown
like that of the male. In precisely the same manner as was remarked in
the case of the _M. leucurus_, these old females are present in
singularly few proportional numbers. One day at James’ Island, out of
thirty birds, which I counted standing within a hundred yards of the
tents, under which we were bivouacked, there was not a single one with
the dark brown breast. From this circumstance I am led to conclude that
the females of this species (as with the _M. leucurus_) acquire their
full plumage late in life.
1. BUTEO ERYTHRONOTUS.
Haliaëtus erythronotus, _King_, in Zoological Journal, vol. iii. p. 424.
Buteo tricolor, _D’Orbigny_.
I obtained specimens of this bird from Chiloe and the Falkland Islands,
and Captain King who first described it, procured his specimens from
Port Famine, Lat. 53° 38′ in Tierra del Fuego. M. D’Orbigny states that
it has a wide range over the provinces of La Plata, central Chile, and
even Bolivia; but in this latter country, it occurs only on the
mountains, at an elevation of about 12,000 feet above the sea. The same
author states, that it usually frequents open and dry countries; but as
we now see that it is found in the dense and humid forests of Chiloe and
Tierra del Fuego, this remark is not applicable. At the Falkland
Islands, it preys chiefly on the rabbits, which have run wild and abound
over certain parts of the island. This bird was considered by Captain
King as a _Haliaëtus_; but Mr. Gould thinks it is more properly placed
with the Buzzards. Captain King gave it the appropriate specific name of
_erythronotus_, and, therefore, as Mr. Gould observes, the more recent
one of _tricolor_, given by M. D’Orbigny, must be passed over.
2. BUTEO VARIUS. _Gould._
Buteo varius, _Gould_, Proceedings of the Zoological Society, Part v.
1837, p. 10.
_B. vertice corporeque supra intensè fuscis, plumis fulvo marginatis
vel guttatis; primariis secundariisque cinereis, lineis numerosis
fuscis transversim striatis; caudâ cinerea, lineis angustis
numerosis fuscis transversim notatâ; singulis plumis
flavescenti-albo ad apicem notatis; gulâ fuliginosâ; pectore fulvo,
lineâ interruptâ nigrescente a gulâ tendente circumdato; abdomine
imo lateribusque stramineo et rufescenti-fusco variegatis; femoribus
crissoque stramineis lineis transversalibus anfractis
rufescenti-fuscis ornatis; rostro nigro; cerâ tarsisque olivaceis._
Long. tot. 21½; _alæ_, 16½; _caudæ_, 10; _tarsi_, 3¾.
COLOUR.—Head and back of neck umber brown, with edges of the feathers
fringed with fulvous, (or buff orange with some reddish orange) and
their bases white. Shoulders brown, with the feathers more broadly
edged. Back the same, with the basal part of the feathers fulvous,
with transverse bars of the dark brown. Tail blueish gray, with
numerous, narrow, transverse, faint black bars. Tail-coverts pale
fulvous, with irregular bars of dark fulvous and brown. Wings:
primaries blackish gray, obscurely barred; secondaries and
tertiaries more plainly barred, and tipped with fulvous. Wing
coverts, dark umber brown, largely tipped, and marked with large
spots, almost forming bars, of pale fulvous. _Under surface._—Chin
black; throat and breast ochre yellow, with a narrow dark brown line
on the shafts of the feathers, which, in those on the sides of the
throat and breast expands into a large oval spot. Feathers on belly
reddish brown, fringed and marked at base with the ochre yellow.
Lining of wings ochre yellow, with numerous transverse bars of dark
brown. Under-side of tail, inner webs almost white, outer pale gray,
with very obscure transverse bars. Thighs, ochre yellow, with
numerous zigzag transverse bars of pale reddish brown. Bill pale
blackish; iris brown; tarsi gamboge yellow.
FORM.—Fourth primary very little longer than third, and about half an
inch longer than fifth. First rather shorter than seventh, and
longer than eighth. Wings when folded reaching within two inches of
the extremity of the tail.
Inches.
Total length 21½
Length of tail 10
Wings when folded 16½
From tip of beak to within anterior edge of nostril,
measured in straight line ⁸⁵⁄₁₀₀
Tarsi from soles of feet to middle of knee joint 3¾
Middle toe, measured from basal joint to tip of claw 2½
Habitat, Strait of Magellan, (_February_,) and Port St. Julian in
Southern Patagonia, (_January._)
3. BUTEO VENTRALIS. _Gould._
Buteo ventralis, _Gould_, Proceedings of the Zoological Society, Part v.
1837, p. 10.
_B. vertice corporeque intensè nitide fuscis, plumis dorsalibus
purpurascentibus; primariis nigris; caudâ fuscâ, lineis
obscurioribus cancellatâ numerosis, ad apicem sordidè albâ; gulâ
abdomine medio crissoque stramineo-albis; pectoris corporisque
lateribus fasciâ abdominali femoribusque flavescenti-albis fusco
notatis, notis in femoribus rufescentibus; tarsis per mediam partem
anticè plumosis, rostro nigro; cerâ tarsisque flavis._
Long. tot. 23 unc.; _alæ_, 15½; _caudæ_, 9½; _tarsi_, 3½.
COLOUR.—Head, back of neck, back, and wing-coverts, umber brown.
Feathers on sides of throat edged with fulvous; those on lower parts
of back with their basal parts marked with large white spots, edged
with fulvous, but which do not show, until the feathers are ruffled.
Tail of the same dark brown as the back, with many bars of pale
brown, and extreme points tipped with dirty white. Tail-coverts same
brown, with the more lateral ones marked with white and fulvous.
Wings: primaries black, with the inner and basal webs brownish;
secondaries and tertiaries brown, with obscure traces of paler
transverse bars. _Under surface._—Chin almost white; throat and
breast very pale ochre yellow, with narrow brown lines on the shaft
of the feathers, which expand into large marks on the sides of the
upper part of the breast, and into regular spots on those of the
belly. Lining of wing white, with brown spots on the feathers near
their tips, like on those of the belly. Thighs very pale ochre
yellow, with transverse bars of pale brown, appearing like inverted
wedge-formed marks, with the apex on the shafts. Under tail-coverts
almost white; under side of tail pale gray, with darker gray bars on
the inner side of shafts. Bill blueish black, with base of lower
mandible and part of upper yellowish. Tarsi pale yellow.
FORM.—Fourth primary very little longer than either the third or
fifth, which are equal. First nearly equal to the eighth. Extremity
of wing when folded reaching within two inches and a half of the end
of the tail.
In.
Total length 23
Wing when folded 15½
Tail 9½
Tarsi 3½
Middle toe from joint to tip of claw 3
From extremity of beak to within nostril ⁹⁄₁₀
Habitat, Santa Cruz, Lat. 50° S. Patagonia, (_April_.)
Mr. Gould remarks that “this species has all the characters of a true
_Buteo_, and will rank as one of the finest of this well defined group.
In size it rather exceeds the Common Buzzard of Europe, which in its
general style of colouring it somewhat resembles.”
SUB-FAM.—FALCONINA, VIG.
FALCO FEMORALIS. _Temm._
Falco femoralis, _Temm._ Pl. Col. 121 male; and 343 adult male.
—— _Spix_, Av. Sp. Nov. 1. p. 18.
This specimen was shot in a small valley on the plains of Patagonia, at
Port Desire, in Lat. 47° 44′. It builds its nest in low bushes, and the
female was sitting on the eggs in the beginning of January. Egg, 1·8 of
an inch in longer diameter, and 1·4 in shorter; surface rough with white
projecting points; colour nearly uniform dirty “wood brown,” thickly
freckled with rather a darker tint; general appearance, as if it had
been rubbed in brown mud. M. D’Orbigny supposed that Latitude 34° was
the southern limit of this species; we now find its range three hundred
and thirty miles further southward. The same author states that this
falcon prefers a dry open country with scattered bushes, which answers
to the character of the valleys, in the plains near Port Desire.
TINNUNCULUS SPARVERIUS. _Vieill._
Falco sparverius, _Linn. et Auct._
I obtained specimens both from North and South Patagonia (Rio Negro and
Santa Cruz), and Captain King found it at Port Famine in Tierra del
Fuego. I saw it at Lima in Peru; and Mr. Macleay (Zoological Journal,
vol. iii.) sent specimens from Cuba. According to Wilson it is common in
the United States, and Richardson says its northern range is about 54°.
The _Tinnunculus_ therefore, ranges throughout both Americas over more
than 107 degrees of latitude, or 6420 geographical miles. It is the only
bird, which I saw in South America, that hovered over one particular
spot, in the same stationary manner, as the common English kestrel
(_Falco tinnunculus_, Linn.) is so frequently observed to do.
SUB-FAM.—CIRCINÆ.
1. CIRCUS MEGASPILUS. _Gould._
Circus megaspilus, _Gould_, in Proceedings of the Zoological Society,
Part V. 1837, p. 10.
_C. vertice corporeque supra intensè fuscis, lineâ stramineâ a naribus
supra oculos ad occiput tendente; hoc rufescenti-fusco; primariis
intensè fuscis ad basin cinereis, lineis nigris cancellatis; caudæ
tectricibus albis; rectricibus intermediis cinereis, externis
cinereo-stramineis, omnibus lineis latis fuscis transversim notatis,
lineâ ultimâ latissimâ, apice sordidè stramineo; gulâ pectoreque
stramineis, fusco variegatis; corpore subtus stramineo; plumis
pectoris laterumque striâ centrali fuscâ notatis; rostro nigro; cerâ
tarsisque flavis._
Long. tot. 22 unc.; _rostri_, 1½; _alæ_, 17; _caudæ_, 10½; _tarsi_,
3⅓.
COLOUR.—Head, back of throat, whole back, and wing-coverts umber
brown, of a nearly uniform tint, and not very dark. Front, over the
nostrils, with few fulvous bristly feathers; over the eyes,
extending backward, a pale almost pure white streak, which joins an
irregular band, extending across the nape of the neck, from below
ear to ear, of brown feathers, edged with pale fulvous, giving a
streaked appearance to that part. The wing-coverts are just tipped
with dirty white. Wings: primaries of the same brown as the back,
the inner ones assuming a gray tinge; these, and the basal parts of
the inner webs of all, are obscurely barred; secondaries and
tertiaries of a paler brown than the interscapular region. Tail
grayish brown, with five well-defined bars, about ¾ of an inch wide,
of the same brown, as the rest of the upper surface; extremities
tipped with very pale dirty brown. Tail-coverts; upper ones brown,
and the under ones white, with small brown spots on the shaft
towards their extremities. _Under surface._—Chin, pale fulvous, or
ochre yellow. Breast, belly, thighs and under tail-coverts the same;
the feathers on the lower part of the breast and on the belly have a
dark brown mark along the shaft, which widens but very little
towards the extremity; the brown on those on the upper part of the
breast and on the throat is broader, and some of the feathers are of
a darker fulvous, and as the dark brown of the back encroaches on
each side, this part is much darker than the rest of the under
surface. Above this, and just beneath the chin, a kind of collar is
formed from ear to ear, of short feathers of a more strongly
pronounced fulvous tint, with a narrow brown streak on their shafts.
Lining of wings, and flanks almost white, with transverse brown
bars. Under side of tail pale gray passing into fulvous, with the
terminal dark brown bars seen through. Bill, horn coloured, with
some white markings towards its base; tarsi bright yellow.
FORM.—Third primary rather longer than fourth, second equal to fifth;
first more nearly equal to the sixth than to the seventh. Wings
reaching within an inch of the end of the tail. Feathers on thighs
depend but little below the knee.
In.
Total length 22
Wings folded 17
Tail 10½
Tarsi 3⅓
Middle toe to end of claw 2¾
From tip of bill to nearest part of cere ⁷⁵⁄₁₀₀
Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, (_July_.)
This hawk was not uncommon on the grassy savannahs and hills in the
neighbourhood of the Rio Plata. Mr. Gould remarks “that in size it fully
equals the _Circus æruginosus_ of Europe, which it doubtless represents
in the countries it inhabits. This species has a remarkable specific
character in the lanceolate and conspicuous stripes down its breast.”
2. CIRCUS CINERIUS. _Vieill._
Circus cinerius, _Vieill._ Ency. Meth.
Falco histrionicus, _Quoy and Gaim._ Voy. autour du monde, Plate 15.
Circus histrionicus, _Vigors_, Zoological Journal, vol. iii. p. 425,
note.
My specimens were obtained at the Falkland Islands, and at Concepçion in
Chile. M. D’Orbigny states that it is a wild bird; but at the Falkland
Islands it was, for one of its order, very tame. The same author gives a
curious account of its habits: in a different manner from other
raptorial birds, when it has killed its prey, it does not fly to a
neighbouring tree, but devours it on the spot. It roosts on the ground,
either on the top of a sand hillock, or by the bank of a stream: it
sometimes walks, instead of hopping, and when doing so, it has some
resemblance in general habit to the _Milvago chimango_. It preys on
small quadrupeds, molluscous animals, and even insects; and I find in my
notes, that I saw one in the Falkland Islands, feeding on the carrion of
a dead cow. Although in these respects this _Circus_ manifests some
relation in its habits with the _Polyborinæ_, yet it has the elegant and
soaring flight, peculiar to its family; and in form it does not depart
from the typical structure. Mr. Gould remarks that “we see in this
elegant bird as perfect an analogue of the _Circus cyaneus_ of Europe,
as in the preceding species of the _Circus æruginosus_.”
FAMILY.—STRIGIDÆ.
SUB-FAM.—SURNINIÆ.
ATHENE CUNICULARIA. _Bonap._
Strix cunicularia, _Mol. Bonap._ Am. Orni. I. 68. pl. 7. f. 2.
This bird, from its numbers and the striking peculiarities of its habits
has been mentioned in the works of all travellers, who have crossed the
Pampas. In Banda Oriental it is its own workman, and excavates its
burrow on any level spot of sandy soil; but in the Pampas, or wherever
the Bizcacha is found, it uses those made by that animal. During the
open day, but more especially in the evening, these owls may be seen in
every direction standing frequently by pairs on the hillock near their
habitation. If disturbed, they either enter the hole, or, uttering a
shrill harsh cry, move with a remarkably undulatory flight to a short
distance, and then turning round, steadily gaze at their pursuer.
Occasionally in the evening they may be heard hooting. I found in the
stomachs of two which I opened the remains of mice; and I saw a small
snake killed and carried away by one. It is said that reptiles are the
common object of their prey during the day time. Before I was aware,
from the numbers of mice caught in my traps, how vastly numerous the
small rodents are in these open countries, I felt much surprise how such
infinite numbers of owls could find sufficient means of support. I never
saw this bird south of the Rio Negro, (Lat. 41° S.) In North America
they frequent only the trans-Mississippian territories in the
neighbourhood of the Rocky Mountains. The account given by Say of their
habits, agrees with what may every day be observed in the Pampas; but in
the northern hemisphere they inhabit the burrows of the Marmot or
Prairie dog, instead of those of the Bizcacha; and it would appear that
their food is chiefly derived from insects, instead of from small
quadrupeds and reptiles. Mr. Gould says he has compared my specimens
from La Plata and Chile, on opposite sides of the Cordillera, with those
from Mexico and the Rocky Mountains of North America, and he cannot
perceive the slightest specific difference between them.
SUB-FAM.—ULULINÆ.
1. OTUS GALAPAGOENSIS. _Gould._
PLATE III.
Otus (Brachyotus) Galapagoensis, _Gould_, in Proceedings of the
Zoological Society, Part V., 1837, p. 10.
_O. fasciâ circa oculos fuliginosâ; strigâ superciliari, plumis nares
tangentibus et circa angulum oris, gulâ et disci facialis margine,
albis; vertice corporeque supra intensè stramineo fuscoque
variegatis; primariis ad apicem intensè fuscis, ad basin stramineo
fasciatis; corpore subtus stramineo, notis irregularibus fasciisque
fuscis ornato; femoribus tarsisque plumosis rufescenti-stramineis;
rostro unguibusque nigris._
Long. tot. 13½; _rostri_, 1; _alæ_, 11; _caudæ_, 6; _tarsi_, 2.
COLOUR.—Facial disc; plumose feathers immediately around the eyes,
nearly black, tipped with glossy fulvous; those nearer the margin
are white at their base, and only slightly tipped with a darker
brown. Between the eyes a band of small fulvous feathers with a
central streak of dark brown, passing backward, blends into the
plumage of the nape. Back of head and throat streaked with fulvous
and brown, the centre of each feather being brown, and its edge
fulvous. Interscapular region and the feathers of the wing, coloured
in the same manner, but the fulvous part is indented on each side of
the shaft in the brown, giving an obscurely barred appearance to
these feathers. Primaries brown, with large rounded marks of
fulvous; those on the first feather being smaller, and almost white:
wing-coverts brown, and but little mottled. Tail with transverse
bars of the same brown and fulvous, the latter colour much clearer
and stronger on the external feathers; in the central ones, the
fulvous part includes irregular markings of the dark brown. _Under
surface._—Throat and breast, with center of each feather brown,
edged with fulvous; the former colour being predominant. On the
belly and under tail-coverts the brown coloured marks on the shafts
are narrow, but they are united to narrow transverse bars, which
form at the points of intersection marked something like
arrow-heads. The fulvous tint is here predominant. Downy feathers on
thighs same fulvous colour as rest of body. Bill black.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 3._
_Otus Galapagoensis._
]
FORM.—Second primary scarcely perceptibly longer than the first, and
fourth rather longer than first. Tarsi thickly clothed with short
feathers to the root of the nails.
In.
Total length 13½
Wings 11
Tail 6
Tarsi 2
Middle toe to root of nail 1⅒
From tip of beak to interior edge of nostril ⁶⁄₁₀
Habitat, James Island, Galapagos Archipelago, (_October_).
Mr. Gould informs me, that “this species has most of the essential
characters of the common short-eared owl of Europe (_Strix brachyota_),
but differs from it, and all the other members of the group, in its
smaller size and darker colouring.”
The lesser proportional size of the fulvous marks on the first
primaries, and on the tail, and the peculiar transverse brown marks on
the feathers of the belly, easily distinguish it from the common
short-eared owl. The specimen described is a male bird.
2. OTUS PALUSTRIS. _Gould._
Strix brachyota. _Lath._
Specimens of this bird were obtained at the Falkland Islands, at Santa
Cruz in Patagonia, and at Maldonado on the northern bank of the Plata.
At the latter place it seemed to live in long grass, and took to flight
readily in the day. At the Falkland Islands it harboured in a similar
manner amongst low bushes. Mr. Gould says, “So closely do the specimens
brought home by Mr. Darwin, resemble European individuals, that I can
discover no specific difference, by which they may be distinguished.”
We have, therefore, the same species occurring in lat. 52° S. on the
coast of South America, and in the northern division of the continent,
according to Richardson, even as far as the sixty-seventh degree of
latitude. Jardine says it is found in the Orkney islands (lat. 59°), and
in Siberia; and that he has received specimens of it from Canton. M.
D’Orbigny says it is found in the Sandwich and Marianne islands in the
Pacific Ocean, and at Bengal in India. This bird, therefore, may be
considered as a true cosmopolite.
ULULA RUFIPES.
Strix rufipes, _King_, in Zoological Journal, Vol. iii. p. 426.
I obtained a specimen of this bird from a party of Fuegians in the
extreme southern islands of Tierra del Fuego. Owls are not uncommon in
this country, and as small birds are not plentiful, and the lesser
rodents extremely scarce, it at first appears difficult to imagine on
what they feed. The following fact, perhaps, explains the circumstance:
Mr. Bynoe, the surgeon to the “Beagle,” killed an owl in the Chonos
Archipelago, where the nature of the country is very similar to that of
Tierra del Fuego, and, on opening its stomach, he found it filled with
the remains of large-sized crabs: I conclude, therefore, that these
birds here likewise subsist chiefly on marine productions.
SUB-FAM.—STRIGINÆ.
1. STRIX FLAMMEA. _Linn._
I obtained a specimen of a white owl from Bahia Blanca in Northern
Patagonia, and Mr. Gould remarks concerning it, that he only retains the
name of _S. flammea_ provisionally, until all the white owls, from
various countries, shall have been subjected to a careful examination.
Mr. Gould suspects, that when this is effected, the South American white
owl will prove to be specifically distinct from that of Europe.
2. STRIX PUNCTATISSIMA. _G. R. Gray._
PLATE IV.
_S. supra nigricans, flavo subnebulosa, minutè albo-punctatissima,
maculâ albâ ad apicem plumæ, cujusvis; subtus fulva,
fasciis interruptis nigricantibus; caudâ dorso concolore,
nigricanti-fasciatâ, apice albâ; disco faciali castaneo-rufo
nigricanti-nebuloso circumdato, pogoniis internis albis, scapis
nigris; pedibus longis, infra genu plumosis; tarso reliquo
digitisque subpilosis._
Long. tot. 13½; _alæ_, 9¼; _caudæ_, 4¼; _tarsi_, 2⁷⁄₁₀.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 4._
_Strix punctatissima._
]
COLOUR.—Head and feathers within facial disc, glossy ferruginous
brown, those forming the margin of it, same coloured, with their
tips dark brown. Back of head and throat smoky brown, mottled with
numerous small white dots, on the tips of the feathers. Back and
wing-coverts the same, with the white spots larger and purer. Wings:
primaries, same dark brown, mottled with dull chesnut red; the tip
of each, with the exception of the three first, is marked with a
triangular white spot, of the same kind with those over the rest of
the body, but larger. Tail, transversely barred with brown and
reddish fulvous, and the extreme points mottled with white. _Under
surface._—Breast, belly and lining of wings, fulvous, mottled with
brown;—the feathers being transversely barred with narrow brown
lines. Under side of tail, pale gray, with well defined transverse
bars of a darker gray. Short downy feathers on tarsi, of a brighter
fulvous than the rest of the under surface.
FORM.—Third primary rather longer than second; first equal to third.
Wing, exceeding the tail in length by nearly one inch and a quarter.
Short feathers on the tarsus, extending about one-third of its
length, below the knee. Tarsi, elongated. Toes and lower part of
tarsi, with few scattered brown hairs.
In.
Total length 13½
Wing 9¼
Tail 4¼
Tarsi 2⁷⁄₁₀
Tip of beak to rictus 1½
Middle toe, from root of claw to base 1⅒
Habitat, James Island, Galapagos Archipelago, (_October_.)
I am indebted to Mr. G. R. Gray for the description of this species,
which is deposited in the British Museum. Only one specimen was obtained
during our visit to the Galapagos Archipelago; and this formed part of
the collection made by the direction of Captain FitzRoy.
This owl is in every respect a true Strix; it is fully a third less than
the common species of Europe, and differs from it in many respects,
especially in the darker colouring of its plumage. The colouring of the
Plate is not perfectly accurate in its minuter details.
FAMILY.—CAPRIMULGIDÆ.
SUB-FAM.—CAPRIMULGINIÆ.
1. CAPRIMULGUS BIFASCIATUS. _Gould._
Caprimulgus bifasciatus, _Gould_, in Proceedings of the Zoological
Society, February 1837, p. 22.
_C. capite nigro fusco et fulvescente ornatus; caudâ albo bifasciatâ,
fasciâ terminali latâ: primâ angustâ; primariis nigrescentibus
fasciâ angustâ albâ ad medium: alis spuriis maculâ, albâ notatis;
gutture lunulâ albâ; secundariis tectricibusque alarum maculâ
fulvescente ad apicem; crisso pallidè rufescente; rostro pedibusque
fuscis._
Long. tot. unc., 9¾; _alæ_, 6⅓; _caudæ_, 5; _tarsi_ ¾.
Front and back of head gray, mottled with black and with little
fulvous. The latter colour more abundant, and in larger markings in
the interscapular region, and on the wing-coverts. The black
markings give a somewhat streaked appearance to the back of head and
interscapulars. On the back of throat the fulvous tint is so much
pronounced, that a collar is formed which is continued under a white
one round the breast. Wings: primaries brownish black; four external
ones, with a large white mark, forming a band, at about one-third of
their length from their extremities: these white marks are edged
with fulvous, and the part on the outer web of the first primary, is
wholly so coloured. The other primaries are marked with reddish
brown, as are the secondaries and tertiaries, the marks becoming
more numerous and smaller, and the colours more mottled, nearer the
back. Tail: upper tail-coverts and two central feathers of tail
marked like those on the back; the black, however, forming narrow
interrupted transverse bars. The pair next to these central ones
have near their extremities a large white mark, but only on the
inner shaft. In the three succeeding pairs, the white spot extends
on both sides of the shaft, and in each pair increases somewhat in
size; so that in the external pair, the white spot is merely
bordered with a very narrow, faint margin, of brown and fulvous. At
about half their length, all the feathers, with the exception of the
central pair, have a smaller white mark, but only on the inner side
of the shaft. This mark is transverse, in the form of a band, and
the white blends into fulvous on the edges of the webs. Outer web of
these same external feathers, are transversely barred with black and
fulvous. _Under surface._—Chin, breast, belly, and lining of wings,
dirty fulvous, with numerous narrow, irregular, transverse bars of
brown. Throat with white collar, beneath which the fulvous tint is
predominant, forming a kind of under collar, which is continued
round the whole neck. Under tail-coverts fulvous,—tail itself
appears almost black, with a great terminal white band, and a
narrower one at about half its length.
Wings, an inch and a quarter shorter than the tail. Second primary,
scarcely perceptibly longer than the third; the first about an
eighth of an inch shorter than the second, and 8 ths longer than the
fourth. Feathers on wing, with the outer webs, slightly excised.
In.
Total length 9¾
Wing folded 6½
Tail 5
Tarsi ⁸⁄₁₀
From tip of beak to rictus 1
Of middle toe without the claw ⁷⁄₁₀
Habitat, Valparaiso Chile, (_August_).
This species frequents the mountains of central Chile. When bivouacking
one night on the Bell of Quillota, at an elevation of 6000 feet above
the sea, I heard a gentle, plaintive cry, which I was told was made by
this bird. It is regarded with superstitious dread by many of the lower
orders.
Mr. Gould observes, that “this species has a strong resemblance, at the
first glance, with the _Caprimulgus Europæus_, but may be readily
distinguished by its shorter wing, more lengthened tarsi, by a
conspicuous white band across the base of the tail, and by all these
feathers, except the two middle ones, having another white band near the
tip.” Mr. Gould then adds, as “I am quite undecided to which of the
sub-genera this and the following species should belong, I leave them
for the present in the restricted genus, _Caprimulgus_, although I
certainly perceive in it many points of affinity to the group which
inhabits the United States of North America.”
2. CAPRIMULGUS PARVULUS. _Gould._
Caprimulgus parvulus, _Gould_, Proceedings of the Zoological Society,
February 1837, p. 22.
_C. capite intensè fusco, guttis minutis cinereis ornato; vittâ rufâ
cervicem cingente; gutture scapularibusque ad marginem, secundariis
ad apicem stramineis; pectore et abdomine lineis fuscis transversis;
primariis nigrescentibus, tribus fasciis inæqualibus pallidè
rufescentibus; caudâ fasciis pallidè fulvescentibus et fuscis
ornatâ._
Long. tot. unc., 7½; _alæ_, 5; _caudæ_, 4; _tarsi_, ⅝.
Crown of head gray, with black longitudinal streaks. Back of neck with
a fulvous ring, which extends round the front beneath one of white,
as in the _C. bifasciatus_. Back, dull gray. Interscapulars, with
the central part of each feather, black, terminating in a point; the
outer part of the web being broadly fringed with a very pale
fulvous, the inner with gray. Wings: primaries brown, with fulvous
marks, forming three irregular transverse bars, which are scarcely
visible when the wing is closed. Tail and upper tail-coverts, dull
coloured, very obscurely marked with transverse bars of gray and
fulvous, of different degrees of darkness. _Under surface._—Throat
white, edged with fulvous on lower side. Breast, belly, and under
tail-coverts, fulvous, with numerous very narrow transverse bars of
brown. The pale fulvous marks, forming interrupted bars, are more
plainly seen on this than on the upper side of the tail.
Third primary, very little longer than second, and second than first.
First rather longer than fourth. Extremities of wings reaching
within an inch and a quarter of end of tail. End of tail more
rounded than in last species.
In.
Total length 7½
Wings 5
Tail 4
Tarsi ⅝
Middle toe, from tip of claw to joint of foot ⁹⁄₁₂
From tip of beak to rictus 1
Habitat, La Plata, (_September_).
This species is not uncommon on the wooded banks of the Parana, near
Santa Fé. If disturbed, it rises from the ground, in the same inactive
manner as the European species. I saw one alight on a rope diagonally,
but not so completely in a longitudinal position as does the _C.
Europæus_, nor transversely as other birds. Mr. Gould observes, that
“this goatsucker is full a third less than the _Caprimulgus Europæus_,
and is remarkable for the uniformity of its markings, having no distinct
white bars, or marks, either on the wings or tail.”
FAMILY.—HIRUNDINIDÆ.
1. PROGNE PURPUREA. _Boie._
Hirundo purpurea, _Wils._
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 5._
_Progne modestus._
]
My specimens were obtained at Monte Video, (November) and Bahia Blanca,
39° S. (September) how much further southward this species extends I do
not know. Jardine says, that in North America it migrates during summer
as far as the Great Bear Lake, in Lat. 66° N.; it is mentioned by M.
Audubon, at New Orleans, 30° N., and by Mr. Swainson, at Pernambuco, in
8½° S.; we may, therefore, conclude that it ranges throughout both
Americas, but it is not found in the Old World. Wilson describes this
bird as a great favourite with the inhabitants of North America, both
European and Indian, who erect boxes and other contrivances near their
houses for it to build in. At Bahia Blanca, the females were beginning
to lay in September, (corresponding to our March): they had excavated
deep holes in a cliff of compact earth, close by the side of the larger
burrows inhabited by the ground parrot of Patagonia, (_Psittacara
Patagonica_.) I noticed several times a small flock of these birds,
pursuing each other, in a rapid and direct course, flying low, and
screaming in the manner so characteristic of the English Swift,
(_Hirundo Apus_, Linn.)
2. PROGNE MODESTA. _Gould._
PLATE V.
Hirundo concolor, _Gould_, in Proceedings of the Zoological Society.
_P. nitidè cærulescenti-nigra._
Long. tot. 6 unc.; _alæ_, 5¼; _caudæ_, 2¾; _tarsi_, ½.
The upper and under surface has not so strongly a marked purple shade,
as in the _P. purpurea_. The primaries and feathers of the tail,
however, have a greenish gloss, perhaps slightly more metallic.
Tail not so deeply forked as in _P. purpurea_, which is owing to the
two external feathers on each side not being so much prolonged and
bent outward, as in that species. Nostrils of less size than in the
latter, although the beaks differ but little. Claws and feet are
much less strong, than might have been anticipated, even
proportionally to the less dimensions of this species compared with
the _P. purpurea_.
Inches.
Total length 6
Wings 5¼
Tail 2¾
Tarsi ½
Middle toe from tip of claw to joint ³⁵⁄₁₀₀
Habitat, James Island, Galapagos Archipelago, (_October_).
_Male._
This swallow was observed only on this one island of the group, and it
was there very far from common. It frequented a bold cliff of lava
overhanging the sea. Had not Mr. Gould characterized it as a distinct
species, I should have considered it only as a small variety, produced
by an uncongenial site, of the _Progne purpurea_. I can perceive no
difference whatever from that bird, excepting in its less size,
slenderness of limbs, and less deeply forked tail; and the latter
difference may perhaps be owing to youth.
1. HIRUNDO LEUCOPYGIA. _Licht._
My specimens were obtained at Port Famine, in Tierra del Fuego,
(_February_), and at Valparaiso, in Chile, (_August to September_). At
Port Famine they build in holes in a cliff of earth. Mr. Gould says,
“were it not for the bare legs of this little Martin, I should have some
difficulty in discriminating between it and the one so well known as a
summer visitor in our island.”
2. HIRUNDO FRONTALIS. _Gould._
_H. vertice, plumis auricularibus, dorso et lunulâ pectorali nitidè
cæruleo viridescentibus, notâ albâ supra nares, gulâ corporeque
subtus albicantibus, crisso niveo, alis caudâque fuscis viridi
tinctis, rostro nigro, pedibus intensè fuscis._
Long. tot. 4¾ unc.; _alæ_, 4¾; _caudæ_, 2; _tarsi_, ½.
Upper surface, with a greenish blue metallic gloss; which can faintly
be perceived on the primaries and on the tail feathers. The short
feathers over each nostril white, thus forming two small white
marks; those over the ridge of bill pale brown, giving together the
appearance of a narrow white band over the upper mandible. Entire
under surface and lining of wings pure white. Tarsi rather darker
than in _H. leucopygia_.
Very slightly larger than _H. leucopygia_; upper mandible rather
broader.
Inches.
Total length 4¾
Wings 4¾
Tail 2
Tarsi ½
Habitat, Monte Video, (_November_).
Mr. Gould says, “this species is closely allied both to the common
martin, and to the last species; from the former bird, however, its bare
legs at once distinguish it, while it differs from the latter in being
rather larger in size, in having an obscure white mark on the forehead,
at the base of the bill, and in having the metallic lustre of the upper
surface deep steel green, instead of purple, which is the prevailing
colour of both _Hirundo leucopygia_ and _H. urbica_.”
It is abundant on the northern bank of the Plata, and more common than
the _H. purpurea_, which frequents the same localities. It probably
replaces on the eastern side of the continent, the _H. leucopygia_ of
Chile.
3. HIRUNDO CYANOLEUCA. _Vieill._
It is nearly allied to the two latter species, but is readily
distinguished from them by the absence of the white rump. I procured
specimens in September, both from Valparaiso, and from Bahia Blanca
(North Patagonia). At the latter place it built in holes in the same
bank of earth with _P. purpurea_.
CYPSELUS UNICOLOR. _Jard._
C. unicolor. _Jard. et Selby_, Illust. Ornith. pl. 83.
I obtained a specimen of this bird from St. Jago, Cape de Verd Islands.
(_September_).
It more resembled a swallow than a swift in the manner of its flight. I
only saw a few of them. Insects occur so scantily over the bare and
parched plains of basaltic lava, which compose the lower parts of the
island of St. Jago, that it is surprising how these birds are able to
find the means of subsistence.
FAMILY.—HALCYONIDÆ.
HALCYON ERYTHRORHYNCHA, _Gould_, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1837.
Alcedo Senegalensis var. β, _Lath._
In January, during the first visit of the Beagle to St. Jago, in the
Cape de Verd Islands, these birds were numerous. But in our homeward
voyage, in the beginning of September, I did not see a single
individual. As Mr. Gould informs me it is an African species; it is
probably only a winter visitant to this archipelago. It lives in numbers
in the arid valleys in the neighbourhood of Porto Praya, where it may be
generally seen perched on the branch of the castor oil plant. I opened
the stomachs of several, and found them filled with the wing cases of
Orthopterous insects, the constant inhabitants of all sterile countries;
and in the craw of one there was part of a lizard. It is tame and
solitary; its flight is not swift and direct like that of the European
kingfisher. In these respects, and especially in its abundance in dry
rocky valleys where there is not a drop of water, it differs widely from
the habits of the allied genus Alcedo; although certainly it abounded
more in those valleys where streamlets occurred. This Halcyon was the
only brilliantly coloured bird which I saw on the island of St. Jago.
1. CERYLE AMERICANA. _Boie_.
Alcedo Americana, _Gmel._
This Kingfisher is common on the banks of the Parana. It frequents the
borders of lakes and rivers, and sitting on the branch of a tree, or on
a stone, it thence takes short flights, and dashes into the water to
secure its prey. Its manner of flying is neither direct nor rapid, which
character is so remarkable in the flight of the European species; but it
is weak and undulatory, and resembles that of the soft-billed birds. It
often arrests itself suddenly in its course, and hovers over the surface
of the water, preparatory to darting on some small fish. When seated on
a twig it constantly elevates and depresses its tail; and as might have
been expected from its figure, it does not sit in the stiff upright
position so peculiar to the European Kingfisher. Its note is not
unfrequently uttered: it is low, and like the clicking together of two
small stones. I was informed that it builds in trees. The internal
coating of the stomach is of a fine orange colour. Mr. Gould has seen
specimens of this bird from Mexico; it enjoys, therefore, a very wide
range.
2. CERYLE TORQUATA. _Bonap._
Alcedo torquata. _Gmel._
Ispida torquata. _Swain._
This bird is common in the south part of Chile, in Chiloe, the Chonos
Archipelago, and on the whole west coast, as far as the extreme southern
parts of Tierra del Fuego. In these countries, it almost exclusively
frequents the retired bays and channels of the sea with which the land
is intersected; and lives on marine productions. I opened the stomach of
one, and found it full of the remains of crustaceæ, and a part of a
small fish. It occurs likewise in La Plata, and is very common in
Brazil, where it haunts fresh water. It is said (_Dict. Class. d’Hist.
Nat._) to occur in the West Indian islands; it has, therefore, a wider
range (from the equatorial region to the neighbourhood of Cape Horn)
than the _Ceryle Americana_.
FAMILY.—MUSCICAPIDÆ. _Vieill._
SUB-FAM.—TYRANNINÆ. _Sw._
SAUROPHAGUS SULPHURATUS. _Swains._
Lanius sulphuratus. _Gmel._
Tyrannus magnanimus. _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. p. 850.
Tyrannus sulphuratus. _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1837, p. 42.
The habits of this bird are singular. It is very common in the open
country, on the northern banks of the Plata, where it does not appear to
be a bird of passage. It obtains its food in many different methods. I
have frequently observed it, hunting a field, hovering over one spot
like a hawk, and then proceeding on to another. When seen from a short
distance, thus suspended in the air, it might very readily be mistaken
for one of the rapacious order; its stoop, however, is very inferior in
force and rapidity. At other times the Saurophagus haunts the
neighbourhood of water, and there, remaining stationary, like a
kingfisher, it catches any small fish which come near the margin. These
birds not unfrequently are kept, with their wings cut, either in cages
or in court-yards. They soon become tame, and are very amusing from
their cunning odd manners, which were described to me, as being similar
to those of the common magpie. Their flight is undulatory, for the
weight of the head and bill appears too great for the body. In the
evening the Saurophagus takes its stand on a bush, often by the
road-side, and continually repeats, without change, a shrill and rather
agreeable cry, which somewhat resembles articulate words. The Spaniards
say it is like the words, “Bien te veo” (I see you well), and
accordingly have given it this name.
MUSCIVORA TYRANNUS. _G. R. Gray._
Muscicapa Tyrannus. _Sw._
Tyrannus Savana. _Vieill._ _Bonap._ Am. Orn. pl. 1. f. 1.
This species belongs to Mr. Swainson’s genus Milvulus (more properly
Milvilus,) but which name Mr. G. R. Gray has altered to Muscivora as the
latter was proposed for _Musc. forficata_ as far back as 1801, by
Lacepède.
It is very common near Buenos Ayres; but I do not recollect having seen
many in Banda Oriental. It sits on the bough of a tree, and very
frequently on the ombu, which is planted in front of many of the farm
houses, and thence takes short flights in pursuit of insects. From the
remarkable structure of its tail, the inhabitants of the country call it
scissor-tail; a name very well applied from the manner in which it opens
and shuts the forked feathers of its tail. Like all birds thus
constructed, (of which the frigate bird offers a most striking example),
it has the power of turning very shortly in its flight, at which instant
it opens and shuts its tail, sometimes, as it appears, in a horizontal
and sometimes in a vertical plane. When on the wing it presents in its
general appearance a caricature likeness of the common house swallow
(_Hirundo rustica_). The Muscivora, although unquestionably belonging to
the family of Muscicapidæ manifests in its habits an evident
relationship with birds of the fissirostral structure.
SUB-GEN. PYROCEPHALUS, GOULD.
MUSCICAPA. _Auct._
MUSCIPETA. _Cuv._
TYRANNULA. _Swain._
_Rostrum capite brevius, rectum, depressum, basi setis numerosis
nigris obsessum; mandibulâ superiore emarginatâ, inferiorem
obtegente; naribus rotundatis patulis. Caput subcristatum. Alæ
longæ; remige prima secundum tertiamque longissimas subæquales fere
æquante. Tarsi mediocres, anticè scutellati; digitis lateralibus
inæqualibus, exteriore longiore. Cauda mediocris quadrata._
Mr. Gould observes, that “the males of nearly all the members of this
group (which may be considered either as a distinct genus or sub-genus
of Myiobius), have the crown of the head and greater part of the under
surface scarlet. Four species were obtained.—_Pyrocephalus
parvirostris_, (_Gould_), and _Muscicapa coronata_, (_Auct._), may be
taken as types.
1. PYROCEPHALUS PARVIROSTRIS. _Gould._
PLATE VI.
Le Churrinche, _Azara_. No. 177.
_P. suprà fuscus; capite et subtus nitidè puniceis; rectricibus
exterioribus tectricumque
et secundariorum apicibus griseo-marginatis._
Long. tot. 5⁵⁄₁₂ unc.; _alæ_, 13¹⁄₁₂; _caudæ_, 2⁵⁄₁₂; _tarsi_, ⁷⁄₁₂;
_rost._, ⁶⁄₁₂.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 6._
_Pyrocephalus parvirostris._
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 7._
_Pyrocephalus nanus._
]
Crown of the head, crest, and all the under surface, bright scarlet;
the remainder of the plumage, deep brown; the outer tail-feathers on
each side, and the edges of the secondaries and wing-coverts,
margined with grey.
Habitat, La Plata, (_October._)
This species differs from _Pyr. coronatus_ or _Musicapa coronata_, of
authors, chiefly in its size; in other respects it is very similar. The
admeasurements of the latter, for comparison (as given me by Mr. G. R.
Gray), are: total length, 5 inches and 8 lines; bill, between 9 and 10
lines; wings, 3 inches and 2 lines; tail, 2 inches and 7 lines; tarsi, 7
or 8 lines.
During the summer, this bird was common both near Buenos Ayres and
Maldonado; but at the latter place, I did not see one in the months of
May, June, July, (winter) and therefore, no doubt it is a bird of
passage, migrating southward during the summer from Brazil. The birds of
this and the allied genera, correspond very closely in their habits to
certain of the Sylviadæ of Europe; some of the species frequenting
bushes, like the black-cap, (_Sylvia atricapilla_); others more usually
the ground, as the robin (_Sylvia rubecula_) or hedge-sparrow (_Accentor
modularis_). Another group (_Synallaxis, &c._) represent those European
Sylviæ, which frequent reeds.
2. PYROCEPHALUS OBSCURUS. _Gould._
_P. lividus rufotinctus; præcipuè in fronte ventreque._
Long. tot. 5⁹⁄₁₂ unc.; _alæ_, 3²⁄₁₂; _caudæ_, 2⁵⁄₁₂; _tarsi_, ⁷⁄₁₂;
_rost._, ⁸⁄₁₂.
All the plumage chocolate brown, tinged with red, the latter colour
predominating on the forehead and lower part of the abdomen; bill
and tarsi, black.
A single specimen was obtained, and it would appear to be either an
immature bird or a female.
Habitat, Lima, Peru. (_August._)
3. PYROCEPHALUS NANUS. _Gould._
PLATE VII.
_P. fuscus; rectricum exteriorum marginibus omniumque et sècundariorum
apicibus nitidè griseo-brunneis._
_Femina, brunnea; gutture griseo-albo; corpore subtus pallidè
flavescente; pectoris laterumque plumis in medio brunneo-striatis._
Long. tot. 4¹¹⁄₁₂ unc.; _alæ_, 2²⁄₁₆; _caudæ_, 2²⁄₁₂; _tarsi_, ⁸⁄₁₂;
_rostri_, ⁸⁄₁₂.
_Male._
Crown of the head, crest, and all the under surface, scarlet; back,
wings, and tail, sooty brown; the external margin of the outer tail
feathers, and the tips of all, light greyish brown; bill and tarsi,
black.
_Female._
All the upper surface, wings, and tail, brown; throat, greyish white;
the remainder of under surface, pale buff, the feathers of the chest
and flanks, with an obscure fine stripe of light brown down the
centre.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago. (_September._)
There is nothing remarkable in the habits of this bird. It frequents
both the arid and rocky districts near the coast, and the damp woods in
the higher parts of several of the islands in the Galapagos Archipelago.
4. PYROCEPHALUS DUBIUS. _Gould._
_P. minor, lividus; fronte, superciliis corporeque subtus stramineis;
tectricibus stramineo marginatis._
Long. tot. 4¹⁄₁₂ unc; _alæ_, 2³⁄₁₂; _caudæ_, 1⁹⁄₁₂; _tarsi_, ⁷⁄₁₂;
_rost._
Forehead, stripe over the eye, and all the under surface pale buff;
back of the neck and upper surface chocolate brown; greater and
lesser wing coverts margined with buff.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago, (_September_).
From the appearance of this bird when alive, although closely resembling
_P. nanus_, I entertained no doubt that it was a distinct species. Mr.
G. R. Gray informs me that there is a specimen of a male in the British
Museum, which differs from the male of the precedent species, in having
the upper colour of a decided brown, and the external margins of the
outer tail feathers and tips of the secondaries rather reddish white;
also in size as stated by Mr. Gould.
MYIOBIUS. _G. R. Gray._
TYRANNULA. _Swains._
Mr. Gould had adopted for the following species Mr. Swainson’s generic
appellation of _Tyrannula_, but Mr. G. R. Gray has pointed out, that as
Tyrannulus was proposed and published eleven years before, namely in
1816, by Vieillot, it becomes necessary to change the former name, and
therefore he proposes _Myiobius_.
1. MYIOBIUS ALBICEPS. _G. R. Gray._
Muscipeta albiceps. _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1837, p. 47.
This bird is not uncommon in Tierra del Fuego, and along the western
coast of the southern part of the continent, where the land is covered
with trees; it is occasionally found near Valparaiso in central Chile;
and likewise in Banda Oriental on the banks of the Plata, where the
country is open, from all of which places I procured specimens. At Port
Famine and in the islands of the Chonos Archipelago, it inhabits the
gloomiest recesses of the great forests. It generally remains quietly
seated high up amongst the tallest trees, whence it constantly repeats a
very plaintive, gentle whistle, in an uniform tone. The sound can be
heard at some distance, yet it is difficult to perceive from which
quarter it proceeds, and from how far off; and I remained in
consequence, for some time in doubt, from what bird it proceeded.
2. MYIOBIUS AURICEPS.
Tyrannula auriceps. _Gould_, MS.
_M. rufus; capite cristato nitidè flavo; plumarum apicibus brunneis;
alis brunneis, secundariarum marginibus tectricumque apicibus rufis;
caudâ pallidè brunnea, plumarum externarum marginibus externis
pallidioribus; gutture corporeque subtus pallidè flavescenti-albis;
plumis singulis fasciâ centrali brunnea._
Long. tot. 5³⁄₁₂ unc; _alæ_, 2⁵⁄₁₂; _caudæ_, 2⁶⁄₁₂; _tarsi_, ⁹⁄₁₂;
_rost._ ⁷⁄₁₂.
All the upper surface rufous; the basal portion of the coronal
feathers yellow; tail uniform light brown, the external margin of
the outer feathers lighter; wings brown, the external margin of the
secondaries and the tips of the greater and lesser wing-coverts
rufous; throat and all the under surface pale buffy white, each
feather having a brown mark down the centre; bill brown; feet black.
Habitat, Buenos Ayres, La Plata, (_August_).
This bird is about the size of a sparrow. It is nearly allied to
_Tyrannula ferruginea_ of Swainson and _M. cinnamonea_ of D’Orbig. and
Lafr.
3. MYIOBIUS PARVIROSTRIS.
Tyrannula parvirostris, _Gould_, MS.
_M. suprà rufobrunneus; pileo, nuchâ humerisque obscurè
olivaceo-brunneis; alis brunneis, primariarum et secundariarum
marginibus exterius angustè tectricumque latè ferrugineis; caudâ
guttureque griseo-brunneis; pectore abdomineque flavescenti
brunneis._
Long. tot. 4¹⁰⁄₁₂ _unc._; _alæ_, 2⁶⁄₁₂; _caudæ_, 2²⁄₁₂; _tarsi_, ⁹⁄₁₂;
_rost._ ⁶⁄₁₂.
Crown of the head, back of the neck, and shoulders, dark olive brown;
back and upper tail coverts rufous brown; wings brown; the external
edges of the primaries and secondaries finely, and the greater and
lesser wing coverts broadly margined with ferruginous; tail uniform
greyish brown; throat brownish grey; chest and abdomen sandy brown;
upper mandible dark brown; under mandible yellowish brown; feet
blackish brown.
Habitat, Tierra del Fuego, Chile, and La Plata.
This bird inhabits the forests of Tierra del Fuego, and as I procured
specimens of it in the beginning of winter (June), it probably remains
throughout the year in the extreme southern part of South America. Other
specimens were procured on the banks of the Plata, and near Valparaiso
in Chile; it has therefore a wide range.
4. MYIOBIUS MAGNIROSTRIS.
PLATE VIII.
Tyrannula magnirostris. _Gould_, MS.
_M. Fæm. Suprà olivaceo-brunnea; caudâ brunnea; rectricum externarum
marginibus griseo-brunneis; gutture pectoreque olivaceo griseis;
abdomine caudæque tectricibus inferioribus pallidè flavis; alis
saturatè brunneis, secundariis tectricibusque late griseo
marginatis._
Long tot. 5⁶⁄₁₂; _alæ_, 2⁸⁄₁₂; _caudæ_, 2⁶⁄₁₂; _tarsi_, ¹¹⁄₁₂; _rost._
⁹⁄₁₂.
Crown of the head and back olive brown; tail brown; the external
margins of the two outer feathers greyish brown; throat and chest
olive grey; abdomen and under tail coverts very pale citron yellow;
wings dark brown; secondaries, greater and lesser wing coverts
broadly margined with grey; bill and feet black.
Habitat, Chatham Island, Galapagos Archipelago, (_October_).
This bird and the _Pyrocephalus nanus_, inhabit the same island. Not
very uncommon.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 8._
_Tyrannula magnirostris._
]
GENUS.—SERPOPHAGA. _Gould._
_Rostrum capite multò brevius, rectum, subdepressum; tomiis rectis;
mandibulâ superiore subemarginatâ; naribus basalibus, lateralibus,
pilis mollibus anticè versis partim tectis. Alæ breves, concavæ,
remige quartâ longissimâ. Cauda longiuscula subrotundata. Tarsi
mediocres squamis duris annulati; digitis parvis, postico mediano
breviore, lateralibus æqualibus, exteriore cum mediano usque ad
articulum priorem connatum._
1. SERPOPHAGA PARULUS. _Gould._
Muscicapa parulus, _Kitlitz_, Mem. L’Acad. Imp. des Sci. St. Peters.
1831. 1. p. 190. Pl. 9.
Sylvia Bloxami, _Gray’s_ Zool. Misc. 1831. p. 11.
Culicivora parulus, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1837, p. 57.
This bird is common in central Chile, in Patagonia, and although found
in Tierra del Fuego, it is not numerous there. Its specific name is very
well chosen, as I saw no bird in South America whose habits approach so
near to those of our tom-tits (_Parus_). It frequents bushes in dry
places, actively hopping about them, and sometimes repeating a shrill
cry; it often moves in small bodies of three and four together. In
August I found the nest of one in a valley in the Cordillera of central
Chile; it was placed in a bush and was simply constructed.
2. SERPOPHAGA ALBO-CORONATA. _Gould._
_S. supra olivaceo-brunnea, subtus pallidè flava; pileo nigrescenti
brunneo, in hoc plumarum basibus lineâque supra oculos albis; alis
nigrescenti brunneis, primariis angustè olivaceo marginatis,
tectricibus latè olivaceo-griseo marginatis, gutture griseo._
Long. tot. 4³⁄₁₂; _alæ_, 2; _caudæ_, 2; _tarsi_, ⁸⁄₁₂; _rost._ ⁶⁄₁₂.
A stripe of white from the nostrils over each eye; crown of the head
brown, the base of all the feathers pure white; back of the neck,
back and upper tail coverts olive brown; wings blackish brown, the
external edges of the primaries finely margined with olive, and the
greater and lesser wing coverts largely tipped with olive grey; tail
uniform brown; throat grey; abdomen and under tail coverts pale
citron yellow; bill and feet brown.
Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, (_June_).
This bird, like the last species, generally moves in very small flocks.
Its habits, I presume, are also very similar; for I state in my notes
that it closely approaches to our tit-mice in general manners and
appearance.
3. SERPOPHAGA NIGRICANS. _Gould._
Sylvia nigricans, _Vieill._
Tachuris nigricans, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1837. p. 55.
Le Petit Tachuris noirâtre, _Azara_, No. 167.
This bird is common in the neighbourhood of Maldonado, on the banks of
the Plata. It generally frequents the borders of lakes, ditches, and
other moist places; but is related in its general manners with the last
species. It often alights on aquatic plants, growing in the water. When
seated on a twig it occasionally expands its tail like a fan.
SUB-FAM.—TITYRANÆ. (PSARIANÆ, _Sw._)
PACHYRAMPHUS, _G. R. Gray._
Pachyrhynchus, _Spix._
1. PACHYRAMPHUS ALBESCENS.
Pachyrhynchus albescens, _Gould, MS._
PLATE XIV.
_P. olivaceo-griseus; alis nigrescenti brunneis, albescenti
marginatis; gutture corporeque subtus griseo-albis; alarum
tectricibus inferioribus pallidè sulphureis._
Long. tot. 5³⁄₁₂ unc.; _alæ_, 2⁷⁄₁₂; _caudæ_, 2⁶⁄₁₂; _tarsi_, ⁸⁄₁₂;
_rost._ ⁷⁄₁₂.
Head and all the upper surface olive grey; wings blackish brown, the
coverts and secondaries broadly margined with dull white; primaries
narrowly margined with greyish white; tail blackish brown, the
external web of the outer feather white; under surface of the
shoulder pale sulphur yellow; throat and under surface greyish
white; bill and feet black.
Habitat, Buenos Ayres.
The generic name of Pachyrhynchus _Spix_, is changed by Mr. G. R. Gray,
to _Pachyramphus_, as the former word is used in entomology.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 14._
Pachyramphus albescens.
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 15._
_Pachyramphus minimus._
]
2. PACHYRAMPHUS MINIMUS.
Pachyrhynchus minimus, _Gould_. _MS_.
PLATE XV.
_P. rufo brunneus; capite guttureque brunneo-nigris; plumarum basibus
albis; alis caudâque brunneis, plumis flavescenti-albo marginatis;
colli lateribus, fasciâ pectorali hypochondriisque fulvis; jugulo
ventreque pallidè flavescentibus._
_Long. tot._ 3⁷⁄₁₂; _alæ_, 1¹⁰⁄₁₂; _cauda_, 1⁷⁄₁₂; _tarsi_, ⁶⁄₁₂;
_rost._ ⁵⁄₁₂.
Crown of the head, sides of the face and throat blackish brown, each
feather white at the base; back of the neck black, and upper tail
coverts rufous brown; wings and tail dark brown, each feather
margined with sandy white; sides of the neck, under surface of the
shoulder, band across the chest and flanks reddish fawn colour;
lower part of the throat, and centre of the abdomen very pale buff;
bill and feet blackish brown.
Habitat, Monte Video, (_November_).
SUB-FAM.—FLUVICOLINÆ, SWAIN.
ALECTURUS GUIRAYETUPA. _Vieill_. Dict.
Muscicapa psalura, _Temm._, Pl. Col. t. 286 and 296.
—— risoria, _Vieill._, Gal. des Ois. Pl. 131.
Yetapa psalura, _Less._, Tr. d’Orn. i. p. 387.
Le Guirayetupa, _Azara_, No. 226.
This bird is not uncommon on the open grassy country near Maldonado on
the banks of the Plata. It sits generally on the top of a thistle; from
which it makes short flights and catches its prey in the air. The two
long feathers in its tail appear quite useless to it. It sometimes feeds
on the ground. In the stomach of one which I opened there was a spider
(_Lycosa_), and some Coleoptera.
1. LICHENOPS PERSPICILLATUS. _G. R. Gray._
Sylvia perspicillata, _Gmel._
Œnanthe perspicillata, _Vieill._
Ada Commersoni, _Less._
Perspicilla leucoptera, _Swains._, Nat. Libr. x. Flyc. p. 105, Pl. 9.
Fluviola perspicillata, _D’Orb. & Lafr._, Mag. de Zool. 1837, p. 59.
Le Clignot ou Lichenops, _Comm._, _Sundev._
Le Bec d’argent, _Azara_, No. 228.
This bird belongs to the sub-genus, _Perspicilla_, of Mr. Swainson; but
as Mr. G. R. Gray has pointed out that Commerson had previously
considered it the type of his genus, _Lichenops_, we have been induced
to prefer the latter as the oldest name. It is common in the
neighbourhood of the Plata, and across the Pampas, as far as Mendoza on
the eastern foot of the Andes; it has not, however, crossed those
mountains and entered Chile. It usually sits on the top of a thistle,
and like our common fly-catchers (_Muscicapa grisola_), takes short
flights in pursuit of insects; but does not, like that bird, return to
the same twig. It feeds, also, occasionally on the turf: in the stomach
of some which I opened, I found Coleopterous insects, chiefly
Curculionidæ. Beak, eye-lid, and iris, beautiful primrose yellow.
2. LICHENOPS ERYTHROPTERUS. _Gould._
PLATE IX.
_L. suprà nigrescenti-brunneus, plumis rufo-marginatis; primariis
secundariisque castaneis, apicibus pogoniæque externæ dimidio
apicali brunneis; gutture corporeque subtus cervinis; pectore
brunneo-marginato._
Long. tot. 6 unc.; _alæ_, 3; _caudæ_, 2⅜; _tarsi_, 1; _rostri_, ⁹⁄₁₂.
All the upper surface and tail blackish brown, each feather margined
with rufous; primaries and secondaries reddish chesnut, their tips
and their external webs for half their length from the tip, brown;
tertiaries, greater and lesser wing-coverts dark brown, each feather
margined with reddish buff; throat, and all the under surface, fawn
colour; the chest spotted with brown; base of the bill, and chiefly
of the lower mandible, as well as the iris, bright yellow; eye-lid,
blackish yellow; feet, dark brown.
Habitat, Banks of the Plata.
This bird is not very common. It frequents damp ground, where rushes
grow, on the borders of lakes. It feeds on the ground and _walks_. It is
certainly allied in many respects with the foregoing species, but in its
power of walking, and in feeding on the ground, there is a marked
difference in habits. As it has lately been described (Swainson’s Nat.
Libr. Ornith. x. p. 106.) as the female of the _L. perspicillatus_, I
will here point out some of its chief distinguishing characters. Its
beak is slightly more depressed, but with the ridge rather more plainly
pronounced. In the _L. perspicillatus_, the upper mandible is entirely
yellow, excepting the apex; in the _L. erythropterus_, it is entirely
pale brown, excepting the base. The eye-lid in the former is bright
primrose yellow, in the latter blackish yellow. The tail of _L.
erythropterus_ is squarer and contains only ten feathers instead of
twelve: the wing is ⁴⁄₁₀ of an inch shorter, and the secondaries
relatively to the primaries are also shorter. The red colour on the
primaries represents, but does not correspond with, the white on the
black feathers of _L. perspicillatus_; and the secondaries in the two
birds are quite differently marked. In _L. erythropterus_, the third,
fourth, and fifth primaries are the longest, and are equal to each
other; the second is only a little shorter than the third. In _L.
perspicillatus_ the third is rather shorter than the fourth and fifth;
and the second is proportionally shorter relatively to the third, so
that the outer part of the wing in this species is more pointed than in
_L. erythropterus_. The hinder claw in the latter is only in an
extremely small degree straighter than in the former; and this,
considering that the _L. perspicillatus_ is generally perched, and when
on the ground, can only hop; and that the _L. erythropterus_ feeds there
entirely, and walks, is very remarkable.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 9._
_Lichenops erythropterus._
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 10._
_Fluvicola Azaræ._
]
1. FLUVICOLA ICTEROPHRYS. _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1837. p. 59.
Muscicapa icterophrys, _Vieill._ Encyc. Meth. p. 832.
Le Suiriri noirâtre et jaune, _Azara_, No. 183.
Specimens were found by me both at Monte Video and at Maldonado, on the
banks of the Plata. I found Coleoptera in their stomachs.
2. FLUVICOLA IRUPERO. _G. R. Gray._
Tyrannus Irupero, _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. p. 856.
Muscicapa mœsta, _Licht._ Cat. p. 54.
Muscicapa nivea, _Spix_, Av. pl. 29. f. 1.
Pepoaza nivea, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1837. p. 62.
Irupero, _Azara_, No. 204.
This elegant bird, which is conspicuous amongst most land species by the
whiteness of its plumage, is found, though not commonly, (in November)
in Banda Oriental; whilst near Santa Fé, three degrees of latitude
northward, it was common during the same time of year. It is rather shy,
generally perches on the branches of bushes and low trees.
3. FLUVICOLA AZARÆ. _Gould._
PLATE X.
_F. albâ; alis, caudâ caudæque tectricibus atris, his albo-marginatis;
primariis flavescenti-albis, basibus apicibusque nigris; rostro
pedibusque atris._
Long. tot. 8³⁄₁₂ unc.; _alæ_, 4⁹⁄₁₂; _caudæ_, 4³⁄₁₂; _tarsi_, 1;
_rost._ 1.
Head, all the upper and under surface white; wings and tail black;
tail coverts black margined with white; primaries broad and crossed
near their extremity with sulphur white, and tipped with brown; bill
and legs black.
Habitat, banks of the Plata.
This bird is very common in the neighbourhood of Maldonado, where it
frequents the open grassy plains. It sits on the top of a thistle, or on
a twig, and catches the greater part of its food on the wing. It is
generally quiet in its movements and silent. Mr. Gould remarks, that he
finds “nearly all the species of this peculiar group to differ
remarkably in the structure of their wings and tail, while in all other
respects they closely resemble each other both in form and habit; I
have, therefore, hesitated to separate them into so many genera. I have
assigned the present species to Mr. Swainson’s sub-genus _Fluvicola_,
considering that differences in the form of one organ alone would not be
sufficient grounds for the institution of a new genus among such closely
allied species; the present bird evidently leads off to _Tænioptera_, a
genus proposed many years since, by the Prince of Musignano for the
_Pepoazas_ of Azara.
“This species is closely allied to, if not identical with the _Pepoaza
Dominicana_ of Azara, but as there is a degree of obscurity in his
description, which causes some doubt on this point, I have considered it
better to pay a just tribute of respect to that zealous labourer in the
field of natural science, by assigning his name to this very elegant
bird.”
1. XOLMIS CORONATA. _G. R. Gray._
Tyranuus coronatus, _Vieill._ Eucy. Meth. p. 885.
Muscicapa vittiger, _Licht._ Cat. p. 54.
My specimen was obtained on the wooded banks of the Parana, near Santa
Fé, in Lat. 31° S.
Boie’s name of Xolmis is adopted by Mr. G. R. Gray, as it was proposed
some five years anteriorly to that of the Prince of Musignano’s.
2. XOLMIS NENGETA. _G. R. Gray._
Lanius nengeta, _Linné_, 1. p. 135. 7.
Tyrannus nengeta, _Swains._ Journ. Sci. xx. p. 279.
Fluvicola nengeta, _Swains._ Nat. Libr. Fly-catchers, p. 102. pl. 8.
Tyrannus pepoaza, _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. p. 855.
Muscicapa polyglotta, _Licht. Spix._ II. pl. 24.
Tyrannus polyglottus, _Cuv._
Le Pepoaza proprement dit, _Azara_, No. 201.
My specimen was procured at Maldonado, north bank of La Plata, where it
is not common. Its habits in many respects are like those of the
_Fluvicola Azaræ_; it appears to catch its prey on the wing. Iris bright
red.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 11._
_Tænioptera variegata._
]
3. XOLMIS VARIEGATA. _G. R. Gray._
PLATE XI.
Pepoaza variegata. _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1837. p. 63. Voy. dans
l’Amer. Mèr. Orn. pl. 39. f. 2.
Tænioptera variegata. On plate.
This bird feeds in small flocks, often mingled with the icteri, plovers,
and other birds on the ground. Its manner of flight and general
appearance never failed to call to my recollection our common fieldfares
(_Turdus pilaris_, _Linn._) and I may observe that its plumage (in
accordance with these habits) is different from that of the rest of the
genus. I opened the stomachs of some specimens killed at Maldonado, and
found in them seeds and ants. At Bahia Blanca I saw these birds catching
on the wing large stercovorous Coleoptera; in this respect it follows
the habits, although in most others it differs from those of the rest of
its tribe. Iris rich brown.
4. XOLMIS PYROPE. _G. R. Gray._
Muscicapa pyrope, _Kitlitz._ Mem. l’Acad. Imp. des Sci. St. Peters.
1831. p. 191. pl. 10. Vögel von Chili, pl. 10. p. 19.
Pepoaza pyrope, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1837. p. 63.
This bird is not uncommon near Port Famine in Tierra del Fuego, and
along the whole western coast (at Chiloe specimens were obtained) even
as far north as the desert valley of Copiapó. In the thickly wooded
countries of Tierra del Fuego and Chiloe, where it is more common than
further northward, it generally takes its station on the branch of a
tree, on the outskirts of the forest. When thus perched, usually at some
height above the ground, it sharply looks out for insects passing by,
which it takes on the wing. Iris scarlet. It builds a coarse nest in
bushes. Egg perfectly white, pointed oval; length one inch, breadth ·76
of an inch.
GENUS.—AGRIORNIS. _Gould._
Tyrannus, _Eyd. & Gerv._
Pepoaza, _D’Orb. & Lafr._
_Rostrum longitudine capitis, rectum, forte, compressum, abruptè
deflexum, emarginatum; tomiis rectis integris; naribus basalibus,
lateralibus, rotundis, patulis; rictu pilis rigidiusculis obsesso.
Alæ mediocres, remige primâ longâ, tertiâ, quartâque æqualibus,
longissimis. Cauda mediocris, quadrata. Tarsi longi, fortes, squamis
crassis annulati; digito ungueque postico mediano breviore,
lateralibus æqualibus, liberis._
Mr. Gould observes that the members of this genus are remarkable for
their robust form and for their strength and magnitude of their bills;
and their habits strictly accord with their structure, as they are
fierce and courageous.
The species are closely allied to those of the preceding genus.[10]
1. AGRIORNIS GUTTURALIS. _Gould._
Tyrannus gutturalis, _Eyd. & Gerv._ Voyage de la Fav. Ois. dans Mag. de
Zool. 1836. pl. 11.
Pepoaza gutturalis, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1837. p. 64.
My specimens were obtained near Valparaiso in Chile. I saw it as far
north as the valley of Copiapó. I was assured by the inhabitants that it
is a very fierce bird, and that it will attack and kill the young of
other birds.
2. AGRIORNIS STRIATUS. _Gould._
_A. Fæm. intensè olivaceo-brunnea; alis caudâque fuscis, utriusque
plumis marginibus apiceque pallidè brunneis; rectricum externarum
pogoniâ externâ albâ; gutture facieque lateribus albis, his
nigrostriatis; pectore hypochondriisque olivaceo-brunneis; ventre
crissoque flavescentibus._
Long. tot. 10 unc.; _alæ_, 4⁹⁄₁₂; _caudæ_, 4³⁄₁₂; _tarsi_, 1³⁄₁₂;
_rostri_, 1²⁄₁₂.
Head, and all the upper surface dark olive brown; wings and tail dark
brown, each feather margined and tipped with pale brown, and the
outer web of the external tail-feather, white; throat, and sides of
the face, white, striated with black; breast and flanks olive brown;
centre of the abdomen and under tail-coverts, buff; bill, horn
colour; feet, black.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 12._
_Agriornis micropterus._
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 13._
_Agriornis leucurus._
]
Habitat, Santa Cruz, Patagonia. (_April._)
I am not aware of any difference in habits between this species, and the
following (_A. micropterus_); and the country inhabited by it is
similar. From these circumstances I am induced to suspect, that it is
the same species in an immature state.
3. AGRIORNIS MICROPTERUS. _Gould._
PLATE XII.
_M. pallidè brunneus, subtus flavescenti-albus; alarum caudæque plumis
griseo-marginatis; gutturis albis, brunneo-marginatis._
Long. tot. 9³⁄₁₂ unc.; _alæ_, 4⅓; _caudæ_, 2⅞; _tarsi_, 1³⁄₁₂;
_rostri_, 1⅜.
Head, all the upper surface, wings and tail, pale brown, each feather
of the wings and tail margined with greyish brown; throat, white,
striated with dark brown; the remainder of the under surface, buffy
white; bill, dark horn colour; feet brown.
Habitat, Port Desire, and St. Julian, Patagonia. (_January_).
These birds frequent the wild valleys in which a few thickets grow. They
generally take their stand on the upper twigs. They are shy, solitary,
and not numerous. Mr. G. R. Gray considers the two specimens which were
obtained to be immature, and that one is a full-fledged young, and the
other a nestling of the _Agr. striatus_.
4. AGRIORNIS MARITIMUS. _G. R. Gray._
PLATE XIII.
Pepoaza maritima, _D’Orb. & Lafr._, Mag. de Zool. 1837, p. 65.
Agriornis leucurus. _Gould’s MSS._, and on Pl. xiii.
Inhabits the coast of Patagonia. It is a scarce, shy, solitary bird,
frequenting the valleys in which thickets grow, but often feeding on the
ground. In the interior plains of Patagonia, on the banks of the Santa
Cruz, I several times saw it chasing beetles on the wing, in a peculiar
manner, half hopping and half flying; when thus employed, it spreads its
tail, and the white feathers in it are displayed in a very conspicuous
manner. I also met with this species in the lofty and arid valleys on
the eastern side of the Cordillera of Central Chile, and likewise at
Copiapó.
FAMILY.—LANIADÆ.
SUB-FAM.—LANIANÆ, SWAINS.
CYCLARHIS GUIANENSIS, _Swains._
C. Guianensis, _Swains._, Ornith. Draw. Pl. 58. ♀
Tanagra Guianensis, _Gmel._
Laniagra Guyanensis, _D’Orb. & Lafr._
Falcunculus Guianensis, _Swains._, (1837.)
Le Sourciroux, _Levaill._ Ois. D’Afr. Pl. 76. f. 2.
My specimen was obtained at Maldonado, in the latter end of May. I did
not see another during my residence there. In its stomach were
Coleoptera.
SUB-FAM.—THAMNOPHILINÆ.
THAMNOPHILUS DOLIATUS, _Vieill._
Lanius doliatus, _Linné_.
My specimen was obtained at Maldonado, where it is not very common. It
generally frequents hedge-rows. Cry rather loud, but plaintive and
agreeable. Iris, reddish orange; bill, blue, especially base of lower
mandible. I observed individuals (females?) in which the black and white
bands on the breast were scarcely visible, and even those on the under
tail-coverts but obscurely marked.
FAMILY.—TURDIDÆ.
1. TURDUS RUFIVENTER. _Licht._
T. rufiventer, _Licht._ Cat. p. 38.
—— _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. p. 639?
—— _Spix_, Av. Sp. Nov. tom. 1. p. 70. t. lxviii.
—— _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Voy. de l’Amer. Mer. Av. p. 203.
Grive rousse et noirâtre, _Azara_, No. 79.
Turdus Chochi, _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. p. 639.
—— _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1835. p. 17.
T. leucomelas, _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. 644.
T. albiventer, _Spix_, Av. Sp. Nov. tom. 1. p. 70. t. lxix. f. 1. m. 2
fem.
La grive blanche et noirâtre, _Azara_, No. 80.
The white-bellied thrush, described under the three latter synonyms,
according to M. D’Orbigny, (p. 203 of the ornithological part of his
work), is the female of the _T. rufiventer_. My specimens were obtained
at Maldonado and the Rio Negro, which latter place, in 41°, is its most
southern limit: Spix found it near Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. It utters a
note of alarm very like that of the common English thrush, (_Turdus
musicus_).
2. TURDUS FALKLANDICUS. _Quoy et Gaim._
T. Falklandicus, _Quoy et Gaim._ Zool. de l’Uranie, p. 104.
—— _Pernetty_, Hist. d’un Voy. aux Iles Malouines, II. p. 20.
—— _D’Orb. & Lafr._, Voy. de l’Amer. Mer. Av. p. 202.
T. Magellanicus, _King_, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1830) p. 14.
—— _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1835. p. 16.
M. D’Orbigny has pointed out that the _Turdus Magellanicus_ of King is
only the male bird of _Turdus Falklandicus_. I obtained specimens from
the Rio Negro, Falkland Islands, Tierra del Fuego and Chiloe: I believe
I saw the same species in the valleys of Northern Chile; I was informed
that the thrush there lines its nest with mud, in which respect it
follows the habits of species of the northern hemisphere. In the
Falkland Islands it chiefly inhabits the more rocky and dryer hills. It
haunts also the neighbourhood of the settlement, and very frequently may
be seen within old sheds. In this respect, and generally in its habits,
it resembles the English thrush (_Turdus musicus_): its cry, however, is
different. It is tame, silent, and inquisitive.
1. MIMUS ORPHEUS. _G. R. Gray._
Orpheus Calandria, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. (1835) p. 17.—Voy. de
l’Amer. Mer. Av. 206. pl. x. f. 2.
Turdus Orpheus, _Spix_. Av. t. 1. pl. 71.
Mimus saturninus, _P. Max._ Beitr. p. 658?
Orpheus modulator, _Gould_, in Proc. of Zool. Soc. Part IV. (1836) p. 6.
This bird is described in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society
(Part IV. 1836, p. 6.) as having come from the Straits of Magellan,
which undoubtedly is a mistake. It is extremely common on the banks of
the Plata; but a few degrees south of it, is replaced by the _O.
Patagonica_ of D’Orbigny. In Banda Oriental these birds are tame and
bold; they constantly frequent the neighbourhood of the country houses
to pick the meat, which is generally suspended to the posts and walls.
If any other small bird joins in the feast, the Calandria (as this
species is usually called in La Plata) immediately chases him away. In
these respects, and in its manner of sometimes catching insects, the
Mimus is related in its habits with that division of the _Muscicapidæ_,
which includes the genus _Xolmis_: indeed, the general colour of the
plumage of _X. Nengeta_ is so like that of Mimus, that it might readily
be mistaken for a bird of that genus. The Calandria haunts thickets and
hedge-rows, where it actively hops about, and in doing so often elevates
and slightly expands its tail.
2. MIMUS PATAGONICUS. _G. R. Gray._
Orpheus Patagonicus, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1836, p. 19.—Voy. de
l’Amer. Mer. Av. p. 210, pl. xi. f. 2.
I obtained specimens of this bird at the Rio Negro and at Santa Cruz in
Southern Patagonia, at both of which places it is common. It is not
found in Tierra del Fuego, for neither it nor the other species of the
genus inhabit forests. This species has slightly different habits from
the _M. Orpheus_. It is a shyer bird, and frequents the plains and
valleys thinly scattered with stunted and thorn-bearing trees. It does
not appear to move its tail so much. Its cry, like that of the rest of
the genus, is harsh, but its song is sweet. The _M. Patagonicus_, whilst
seated on the highest twig of some low bush, often enlivens the
dreariness of the surrounding deserts by its varying song. Molina,
however, describing the song of an allied species, has greatly
exaggerated its charms. It may be compared to that of the sedge-bird
(_Motacilla salicaria_, Linn.), but is much more powerful, some harsh
notes and some very high ones being mingled with a pleasant warbling.
The song of the different mocking thrushes certainly is superior to that
of any other bird which I heard in South America; and they are almost
the only ones which formally perch themselves on an elevated twig for
the purpose of singing. They sing only during the spring of the year. I
may here mention, as a curious instance of the fine shades of difference
in habits between very closely allied species, that when I first saw the
_M. Patagonicus_, I concluded from habits alone that it was different
from _M. Orpheus_. But having afterwards procured a specimen of the
former, and comparing the two without particular care, they appeared so
very similar that I changed my opinion. Mr. Gould, however, immediately
upon seeing them (and he did not then know that M. D’Orbigny had
described them as different) pronounced that they were distinct species;
a conclusion in conformity with the trifling difference of habit and
geographical range, of which he was not at the time aware.
3. MIMUS THENCA. _G. R. Gray._
Turdus Thenca. _Mol._
Orpheus Thenca. _D’Orb._ Voy. de l’Amer. Mer. Orn. p. 209, pl. f. 3.
This species seems to be confined to the coast of the Pacific, west of
the Cordillera, where it replaces the _M. Orpheus_, and _M. Patagonicus_
of the Atlantic side of the continent. Its southern limit is the
neighbourhood of Concepcion, (lat. 37° S.) where the country changes
from thick forests to an open land. The Thenca, (which is the name of
this species, in the language of the Aboriginal Indians,) is common in
central and northern Chile, and is likewise found (I believe the same
species) near Lima, (lat. 12°) on the coast of Peru. The habits of the
Thenca are similar, as far as I could perceive, to those of the _M.
Patagonicus_. I observed many individuals, which had their heads stained
yellow from the pollen of some flower, into which they bury their heads,
probably for the sake of the small beetles concealed there. Molina
describes the nest of the Thenca, as having a long passage, but I was
assured by the country people, that this nest belonged to the
_Synallaxis ægithaloides_, and that the Thenca makes a simple nest,
built externally of small prickly branches of the mimosa.
4. MIMUS TRIFASCIATUS. _G. R. Gray._
PLATE XVI.
Orpheus trifasciatus. _Gould_, in Proc. of Zool. Soc. Part v. 1837, p.
27.
_M. vertice, nuchâ, et dorso nigrescentibus; uropygio rufo pallidè
lavato; alis nigrescentibus, tectricibus notâ albescente terminali
fascias tres transversas facientibus; rectricibus caudæ duabus
intermediis nigrescentibus, reliquis ad apicem pallidioribus; plumis
auricularibus, strigâ superciliari, gulâ, et corpore subtùs albis,
lateribus notis guttisque fuscis ornatis; rostro pedibusque nigris._
Long. tot. 10⅝ unc.; _rost._ 1⅜; _alæ_, 5; _caudæ_, 5½; _tarsi_, 1¾.
The vertex, nape of the neck and the back, blackish; with the lower
part of the back tinged with pale rufous; the wings blackish, with
the tips of the wing coverts white, forming three transverse bands;
the tail with the two intermediate feathers black, with the tips of
the others much paler; the auricular feathers with a streak above
the eyes, throat, and beneath the abdomen white; the flanks
ornamented with fuscous marks and spots.
Habitat, Charles Island, Galapagos Archipelago. (_October_).
5. MIMUS MELANOTIS. _G. R. Gray._
PLATE XVII.
Orpheus melanotis, _Gould_, in Proc. of Zool. Soc. Part v. 1837, p. 27.
_M. vertice, nuchâ, dorsoque pallidè fuscis; plumis capitis et dorsi
ad medium colore saturatiore; alis intensè fuscis, singulis plumis
ad marginem pallidioribus, secundariis, tectricibusque majoribus
notâ albâ terminali, fascias duas transversas facientibus; caudæ
rectricibus nigrescenti-fuscis ad apicem albis, loro, plumisque
auricularibus nigrescenti-fuscis; laterum plumis notâ fuscâ
centrali, abdomine albo; rostro pedibusque nigris._
Long tot. 9½ unc.; _rost._ 1¼; _alæ_, 4½; _caudæ_, 4½; _tarsi_, 1⅜.
The vertex, nape of the neck and the back, pale brown; the feathers of
the head and the back, as far as the middle, of a darker colour; the
wings intensely brown, with the margins of each of the feathers
paler; the secondaries and the greater wing-coverts terminated with
white marks, giving the appearance of two transverse bands; the
feathers of the tail blackish brown, with the tips white; the lores
and the feathers of the ears blackish brown, the feathers of the
sides with a central brown mark, the abdomen white; the bill and
feet black.
Habitat, Chatham and James’s Islands, Galapagos Archipelago.
(_October._)
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 16._
_Mimus trifasciatus._
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 17._
_Mimus melanotis._
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 18._
_Mimus parvulus._
]
6. MIMUS PARVULUS. _G. R. Gray._
PLATE XVIII.
Orpheus parvulus. _Gould_, in Proc. of Zool. Soc. Part v. 1837, p. 27.
_M. vertice, nuchâ caudâque intensè fuscis, hujus rectricibus ad
apicem albo notatis; alis fuscis secundariis tectricibusque notâ
albâ apicali fascias duas transversas facientibus; loro plumisque
auricularibus nigrescentibus; gulâ, colli lateribus, pectore, et
abdomine albescentibus; plumis laterum notis fuscis per medium
longitudinaliter excurrentibus._
Long. tot. 8⅛ unc.; _rost._ 1; _alæ_, 3⅝; _caudæ_, 3¾; _tarsi_, 1¼.
The vertex, the nape of the neck, and the tail intensely black; with
the tips of the tail feathers marked with white; the wings brown
with the secondaries and coverts tipped with white marks, giving the
appearance of two transverse hands; the lores and the feathers of
the ears black; the throat, the sides of the neck, breast, and the
abdomen white; the flanks marked longitudinally with brown.
Habitat, Albemarle Island, Galapagos Archipelago. (_October._)
It will be seen, that the three last species of the genus Mimus, were
procured from the Galapagos Archipelago; and as there is a fact,
connected with their geographical distribution, which appears to me of
the highest interest, I have had these three figured. There are five
large islands in this Archipelago, and several smaller ones. I
fortunately happened to observe, that the specimens which I collected in
the two first islands we visited, differed from each other, and this
made me pay particular attention to their collection. I found that all
in Charles Island belonged to _M. trifasciatus_; all in Albemarle Island
to _M. parvulus_, and all in Chatham and James’s Islands to _M.
melanotus_. I do not rest this fact solely on my own observation, but
several specimens were brought home in the Beagle, and they were found,
according to their species, to have come from the islands as above
named. Charles Island is distant fifty miles from Chatham Island, and
thirty-two from Albemarle Island. This latter is only ten miles from
James Island, yet the many specimens procured from both belonged
respectively to different species. James and Chatham, which possess the
same species, are seventy miles apart, but Indefatigable Island is
situated between them, which perhaps, has afforded a means of
communication. The fact, that islands in sight of each other, should
thus possess peculiar species, would be scarcely credible, if it were
not supported by some others of an analogous nature, which I have
mentioned in my Journal of the Voyage of the Beagle. I may observe, that
as some naturalists may be inclined to attribute these differences to
local varieties; that if birds so different as _O. trifasciatus_, and
_O. parvulus_, can be considered as varieties of one species, then the
experience of all the best ornithologists must be given up, and whole
genera must be blended into one species. I cannot myself doubt that _M.
trifasciatus_, and _M. parvulus_ are as distinct species as any that can
be named in one restricted genus.
The habits of these three species are similar, and they evidently
replace each other in the natural economy of the different islands; nor
can I point out any difference between their habits and those of _M.
Thenca_ of Chile; I imagined, however, that the tone of their voice was
slightly different. They are lively, inquisitive, active birds, and
_run_ fast; (I cannot assert, positively, that _M. Thenca runs_). They
are so extremely tame, a character in common with the other birds of
this Archipelago, that one alighted on a cup of water which I held in my
hand, and drank out of it. They sing pleasantly; their nest is said to
be simple and open. They seem to prefer the dry sterile regions nearer
the coast, but they are likewise found in the higher, damper and more
fertile parts of the islands. To these latter situations, however, they
seem chiefly attracted by the houses and cleared ground of the
colonists. I repeatedly saw the _M. melanotis_ at James Island, tearing
bits of meat from the flesh of the tortoise, which was cut into strips
and suspended to dry, precisely in the same manner as I have so often
observed the _M. Orpheus_, in La Plata, attacking the meat hung up near
the Estancias.
1. FURNARIUS RUFUS. _Vieill._
Furnarius rufus, _Vieill._, Ency. Meth. 513.
Merops rufus, _Gmel._ Pl. enl. 739.
Opetiorhynchus rufus, _Tem._ Man.
Turdus vadius, _Licht._ Cat.
Figulus albogularis, _Spix_, Av. pl. lxxviii. f. 1 & 2.
Fournier, _Buff._, _Azara_, No. 221.
This bird is common in Banda Oriental, on the banks of the Plata; but I
did not see it further southward. It is called by the Spaniards Casaro,
or housebuilder, from the very singular nest which it constructs. The
most exposed situation, as on the top of a post, the stem of an opuntia,
or bare rock, is chosen. The nest consists of mud and bits of straw; it
is very strong, and the sides are thick; in shape it resembles a
depressed beehive or oven, and hence the name of the genus. Directly in
front of the mouth of the nest, which is large and arched, there is a
partition, which reaches nearly to the roof, thus forming a passage or
ante-chamber to the true nest. At Maldonado, in the end of May, the bird
was busy in building. The Furnarius is very common in Banda Oriental; it
often haunts the bushes in the neighbourhood of houses; it is an active
bird, and both _walks_ and _runs_ quickly, and generally by starts; it
feeds chiefly on Coleoptera; it often utters a peculiar, loud, shrill,
and quickly reiterated cry.
2. FURNARIUS CUNICULARIUS. _G. R. Gray_.
Alauda cunicularia, _Vieill._
Alauda fissirostra, _Kittl._ Mem. l’Acad. St. Peters, ii. pl. 3.
Certhilauda cunicularia, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool.
This bird has a considerable geographical range. On the eastern side of
the continent it is found from about 40° (for I never saw one in the
southern districts of Patagonia) northward to at least 30°, and perhaps
much further. On the western side its southern limit is the
neighbourhood of Concepcion, where the country becomes dry and open, and
it ranges throughout Chile (specimens were procured from Valparaiso) to
at least as far north as Lima, in lat. 12°, on the coast of Peru. I may
here observe, that the northern limit of all birds, which are lovers of
dry countries, such as this Furnarius and some of the species of Mimus,
is not probably at Lima but near Cape Blanco, 10° south of the Equator,
where the open and parched land of Peru blends (as it was described to
me) rather suddenly into the magnificent forests of Guayaquil. This
Furnarius constantly haunts the driest and most open districts; and
hence sand-dunes near the coast afford it a favourite resort. In La
Plata, in Northern Patagonia, and in Central Chile, it is abundant: in
the former country it is called Casarita, a name which has evidently
been given from its relationship with the Casaro, or _Furnarius rufus_,
for, as we shall see, its nidification is very different. It is a very
tame, most quiet, solitary little bird, and like the English robin
(_Sylvia rubecula_) it is usually most active early in the morning and
late in the evening. When disturbed it flies only to a short distance;
it is fond of dusting itself on the roads; it walks and runs (but not
very quickly), and generally by starts. I opened the stomachs of some,
and found in them remains of Coleoptera, and chiefly Carabidæ. At
certain seasons it frequently utters a peculiar, shrill but gentle,
reiterated cry, which is so quickly repeated as to produce one running
sound. In this respect, and in its manner of walking on the ground, and
in its food, this species closely resembles the Casaro, but in its quiet
manners it differs widely from that active bird. Its nidification is
likewise different, for it builds its nest at the bottom of a narrow
cylindrical hole, which is said to extend horizontally to nearly six
feet under ground. Several of the country people told me, that when
boys, they had attempted to dig out the nest, but had scarcely ever
succeeded in getting to the end. The bird chooses any low bank of firm
sandy soil by the side of a road or stream. At the settlement of Bahia
Blanca the walls are built of hardened mud; and I noticed one, enclosing
a courtyard, where I lodged, which was penetrated by round holes in a
score of places. On asking the owner the cause of this, he bitterly
complained of the little Casarita, several of which I afterwards
observed at work. It is rather curious, that as these birds were
constantly flitting backwards and forwards over the low wall, they must
be quite incapable of judging of distance or thickness even after the
shortest circuitous route, for otherwise they would not have made so
many vain attempts.
UPPUCERTHIA DUMETORIA. _J. Geoffr. & D’Orb._
PLATE XIX.
Uppucerthia dumetoria, _J. Geoffr. & D’Orb._ Ann. du Mus. i. 393 and
394.
Furnarius dumetorum, _D’Orb._ MS.
Uppucerthia dumetorum, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1838, p. 20.
This bird is an inhabitant of extremely sterile regions. I saw several
at the Rio Negro, but at Port Desire they were, perhaps, more numerous.
I did not observe it near Valparaiso, in Central Chile, but I procured
specimens of it from Coquimbo, where the country is more desert. It
frequents open places, in which a few bushes grow. It hops very quickly,
and often flies quietly from one place to another. It may often be seen
turning over and picking dry pieces of dung. It is a remarkable
circumstance, that in the three specimens which I brought home, from
different localities, namely the Rio Negro, Port Desire, and Coquimbo,
the beak varies considerably in length: in that from Port Desire in
Patagonia it is three-eighths of an inch shorter than in that from
Coquimbo in Chile; whilst the Rio Negro specimen is intermediate between
them. Mr. G. R. Gray has pointed out to me that Latham long since
observed a great variation in the beak of the Patagonian warbler,
_Opetiorhynchus Patagonicus_.
1. OPETIORHYNCHUS VULGARIS. _G. R. Gray._
Uppucerthia vulgaris, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1838, p. 23.
This bird in general habits has several points of resemblance with the
_Furnarius cunicularius_, but differs in some other respects. Its flight
is somewhat similar, but it shows two red bands on its wings, instead of
one, by which it can be distinguished at a distance: instead of walking
it only hops; it feeds entirely on the ground, and in its stomach I
found scarcely anything but Coleopterous insects, and of these many were
fungi feeders. It often frequents the borders of lakes, where the water
has thrown up leaves and other refuse. It likewise may be met with in
all parts of the open grassy plains of Banda Oriental, where (like the
_Uppucerthia_ at the Rio Negro) it often turns over dry dung. Its note
is very like that of the _F. cunicularius_, but more acute, and consists
of a shrill cry, quickly reiterated so as to make a running sound. I was
informed that, like that bird, it builds its nest at the bottom of a
deep burrow. This species is common in La Plata, the Falkland Islands,
and Tierra del Fuego; in the latter it frequents the higher parts of the
mountains, or those exposed to the western gales, which are free from
forests, for it is a bird that exclusively lives in open countries and
on the ground. I believe it is not found in Chile; nor is it common on
the coast of Patagonia. This species in its habits is very different
from the three following closely allied ones, since the latter never, or
most rarely, leave the sea beach, whilst this bird, excepting by chance,
is never seen there, but always in the interior country. Nevertheless
with this marked difference in habits, (there are several other points
beside that of the station frequented), if the preserved skins of _O.
parvulus_ and _O. vulgaris_ were placed in the hands of any one, even
perhaps of a practised ornithologist, he would at first hesitate to
consider them distinct, although upon closer examination he would find
many points of difference,—of which the much greater strength of the
feet and the greater length of the tarsus are conspicuous in those
species, which live amongst the stones on the sea beach.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 19._
_Upercerthia dumetaria._
]
2. OPETIORHYNCHUS PATAGONICUS. _G. R. Gray._
Patagonian Warbler, _Lath._ Syn. iv. p. 434.
Motacilla Patagonica, _Gmel._
Motacilla Gracula, _Forst._ Draw. No. 160.
Sylvia Patagonica, _Lath._ Index, ii. 517.
Furnarius Lessonii, _Dumont_.
—— Chilensis, _Less._ Voy. de la Coqu. i. p. 671, n. Tr. d’Ornith. p.
307, pl. 75, f. 1.
Opetiorhynchus rupestris, _Kittl._ Mem. de l’Acad. St. Petersb. i. p.
188, pl. viii.
Uppucerthia rupestris, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1838, p. 21.
This bird is extremely common on the sea shore of all the bays and
channels of Tierra del Fuego; on the western coast it is replaced in
Northern Chile by the _O. nigrofumosus_, and in the Falkland Islands by
the _O. antarcticus_. As the habits of this species and those just named
are quite similar, I shall describe them all together under the head of
_O. nigrofumosus_. A specimen of _O. Patagonicus_ from Chiloe has a bill
rather more than two-tenths of an inch longer than in those from Tierra
del Fuego; but as no other difference can be perceived, I cannot allow
that this is a specific character any more than in the case of the
_Uppucerthia_.
3. OPETIORHYNCHUS ANTARCTICUS. _G. R. Gray._
Certhia antarctica, _Garn._ Ann. des Sc. Nat. 1826.
Furnarius fuliginosus, _Less._ Voy. de la Coqu. Zool. i. p. 670.
Patagonian Warbler, _Lath._ ♀ in Dixons Voy. App. No. 1, 359 and pl.
This species inhabits the Falkland Islands. My specimens were procured
at the east island, from which, also, those described by the French
naturalists came, and likewise that given in the Appendix to Dixon’s
Voyage. I have no doubt that it is peculiar to this group, for the
foregoing species, which in the neighbouring mainland of Tierra del
Fuego supplies its place and has precisely the same habits, has been
examined by Mr. Gould and is considered distinct. The _O. antarcticus_
has long been noticed by voyagers to the Falkland Islands from its
extreme tameness: in the year 1763 Pernety states it was so tame that it
would almost perch on his finger, and that in half an hour he killed ten
with a wand.
4. OPETIORHYNCHUS NIGROFUMOSUS. _G. R. Gray._
PLATE XX.
Uppucerthia nigro-fumosa, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1838, p. 23.
Opetiorhynchus lanceolatus, _Gould_, MS. and on plate XX.
My specimen was killed at Coquimbo, on the coast of Chile. It differs
from _O. Patagonicus_ in its larger size, much stronger feet and bill,
and more dusky plumage, and in the white streak over the eye being less
plainly marked. In this species the red band, which extends from the
body obliquely across the wings in all the species, reaches to the third
primary, whereas in _O. Patagonicus_, _O. vulgaris_, and _O.
antarcticus_, that feather is not marked, or so faintly, as scarcely to
be distinguishable. In the genus Furnarius, the wing feathers are marked
in an analogous manner. I saw this species (as I believe) on the coast
near the mouth of the valley of Copiapó.
I will now make a few remarks on the habits of these three coast
species. The first, _O. antarcticus_, is confined, as I have every
reason to believe, to the Falkland Islands. The second inhabits Tierra
del Fuego, and in Chiloe and Central Chile is replaced by the local
variety with a long beak, and this still further northward by the _O.
nigrofumosus_. On the east side of the continent I do not believe these
marine species extend so far northward. I never saw one on the shores of
the Plata, but they occur in Central Patagonia. These birds live almost
exclusively on the sea beach, whether formed of shingle or rock, and
feed just above the surf on the matter thrown up by the waves. The
pebbly beds of large rivers sometimes tempt a solitary pair to wander
far from the coast. Thus at Santa Cruz I saw one at least one hundred
miles inland, and I several times observed the same thing in Chile,
which has likewise been remarked by Kittlitz, who has given a very
faithful account of the habits of _O. Patagonicus_. I must add that I
also saw this bird in the stony and arid valleys in the Cordillera, at a
height of at least 8000 feet. In Tierra del Fuego I scarcely ever saw
one twenty yards from the beach, and both there and at the Falkland
Islands they may frequently be seen walking on the buoyant leaves of the
_Fucus giganteus_, at some little distance from the shore. In these
respects, the birds of this genus entirely replace in habits many
species of Tringa. In the stomachs of those I opened I found small crabs
and little shells, and one Buccinum even a quarter of an inch long:
Kittlitz says, he found in one, besides such objects, some small seeds.
They are very quiet, tame and solitary, but they may not unfrequently be
seen in pairs. They hop and likewise _run_ quickly; in which latter
respect, and likewise in their greater tameness, they differ from the
_O. vulgaris_. Their cry is seldom uttered, but is a quick repetition of
a shrill note, like that of the last named bird, and of several species
of Furnarius.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 20._
_Opetiorhynchus lanceolatus._
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 21._
_Eremobius phœnicurus._
]
On the 20th of September, I found, near Valparaiso, the nest of _O.
Patagonicus_, with young birds in it: it was placed in a small hole in
the roof of a deep cavern, not far from the bank of a pebbly stream.
Three months later in the summer I found, in the Chonos Archipelago
(Lat. 45°), a nest of this species, placed in a small hole beneath an
old tree, close to the sea beach. The nest was composed of coarse grass
and was untidily built. The egg rather elongated; length 1·11 of an
inch, width in broadest part ·8 of an inch; perfectly white.
GENUS.—EREMOBIUS. _Gould._
_Rostrum capitis longitudine seu longius, fere rectum, ad apicem
deorsum curvatum, haud emarginatum; naribus parvis, basalibus,
oblongis, in sulco positis_; Alæ _breves, remigibus primariis
secundariisque fere æqualibus, plumis 4, 5, 6-que subæqualibus
longissimisque_; Cauda _mediocris apice rotundato_; Tarsi _sublongi
anticè squamis ferè obsoletis induti, halluce digito medio breviore,
digitis lateralibus inæqualibus, internis brevioribus_.
EREMOBIUS PHŒNICURUS. _Gould._
PLATE XXI.
_E. fuscus, remigibus cinereo fusco marginatis, striâ superciliari
pone oculos extensâ cinereo-albâ; caudâ nigro-fuscâ basi castaneo
fuscâ; gulâ abdomineque medio cinereo albis; hypochondriis
tectricibusque caudalibus inferioribus pallide flavescentibus._
Long. tot. 6⁹⁄₁₂ unc.; _rost._ 1; _alæ_, 2⁹⁄₁₂; _caudæ_, 3; _tarsi_,
⁹⁄₁₂.
Head and all the upper surface brown; the primaries margined with
greyish brown; stripe over and behind the eye greyish white; tail
feathers chestnut brown at the base, and blackish brown for the
remainder of their length; throat and centre of the abdomen greyish
white, passing into pale buff on the flanks and under tail-coverts;
bill and feet blackish brown.
Habitat, Patagonia.
This bird, though forming a well-marked genus, is in many respects, even
in plumage, allied to Furnarius and Opetiorhynchus,—for instance, in the
streak over its eyes, in the red band on its wings extending obliquely
from the body to the third primary, and to some of the species of these
genera in its rather plumose feathers. In its general manners, the same
resemblance, together with some differences, always struck me. It lives
entirely on the ground, and generally in dry sterile situations, where
it haunts the scattered thickets, and often flies from one to another.
When skulking about the bushes it cocks up its tail, imitating in this
respect Pteroptochos and Rhinomya. Its cry is shrill, quickly
reiterated, and very similar to that of several species of Furnarius and
Opetiorhynchus. The stomach of one which I opened was full of
Coleoptera. I procured specimens from three places on the coast of
Patagonia; namely, Port Desire, St. Julian, and Santa Cruz; but it is
nowhere common. I likewise saw it at a considerable elevation in the
eastern valleys of the barren Cordillera, near Mendoza.
RHINOMYA LANCEOLATA. _Is. Geoffr. & D’Orb._
Rhinomya lanceolata. _Is. Geoffr. & D’Orb._ Voy. de l’Amer. Mer. pl. 7.
f. 1. 1832, cl. 11. pl. 3. id.—Mag. de Zool. 1832, 11. pl. 3. and
1837, p. 15.
I procured a specimen of this bird from the Rio Negro in Northern
Patagonia, and I never saw one any where else; and M. D’Orbigny makes
the same remark. On the Atlantic side of the continent, it replaces the
several species of _Pteroptochos_ which live on the shores of the
Pacific. Its habits, in some respects, are similar; it lives at the
bottom of hedges or thickets, where it runs with such quickness, that it
might easily be mistaken for a rat. It is very unwilling to take flight,
so that, I was assured by some of the inhabitants, that it could not
fly, which, however, is a mistake. It frequently utters a loud and very
singular cry. The Rhinomya is distantly allied to the _Eremobius
phœnicurus_, which is found in Southern Patagonia, whose habits in some
respects are similar.
1. PTEROPTOCHOS TARNII. _G. R. Gray._
Hylactes Tarnii. _Vigors_, Proc. Zool. 1830.
Megalonyx ruficeps. _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1837. p. 15.
Leptonyx Tarnii. _D Orb. & Lafr._ Voy. de l’Amer. Mer. Av. p. 198, pl.
viii. f. 1.
This species, as well as several others of the genus, and likewise of
Scytalopus are confined to the west coast of South America. The _P.
Tarnii_ ranges from the neighbourhood of Concepcion, lat. 37°, to south
of the Peninsula of Tres Montes, between 41° and 50°. It is not found in
Tierra del Fuego, where the climate probably is too cold for it, for in
other respects, the great forests of that country appear admirably
adapted to its habits. Its limit, northward of the province of
Concepcion, is evidently due to the change which there takes place, from
dense forests to an open and dry country. The _P. Tarnii_ is abundant in
all parts of the Island of Chiloe, where it is called by the native
Indians, _guid-guid_; but by the English sailors, the barking-bird. This
latter name is very well applied, for the noise which it utters is
precisely like the yelping of a small dog. When a person is walking
along a pathway within the forest, or on the sea beach, he will often be
surprised to hear on a sudden, close by him, the barking of the
_guid-guid_. He may often watch in vain the thicket, whence the sound
proceeds, in hopes of seeing its author, and if he endeavour, by beating
the bushes, to drive it out, his chance of success will be still
smaller. At other times, by standing quietly within the forest, the
_guid-guid_ will fearlessly hop close to him, and will stand on the
trunk of some dead tree, with its tail erect, and strange figure full in
view. It feeds exclusively on the ground, in the thickest and most
entangled parts of the forest. It rarely takes wing, and then only for
short distances. It has the power of hopping quickly and with great
vigour; when thus awkwardly proceeding, it carries its short tail in a
nearly erect position. I was informed that the _guid-guid_, builds a
nest amongst rotten sticks, close to the ground.
2. PTEROPTOCHOS MEGAPODIUS. _Kittl._
Pteroptochos megapodius. _Kittl._ 1830, Mem. de l’Acad. 1, pl. iv. et
Vogel, von Chili, p. 10, pl. iv.
Megalonyx rufus. _Less._ Cent. Zool. 1831, pl. 66.
—— _D’Orb. & Lafr._
Leptonyx macropus. _Swains._ Zool. Ill. pl. 117.
—— _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Voy. de l’Amer. Mer. Av. 197.
This bird is common in the dry country of central and northern Chile,
where it replaces the _P. Tarnii_ of the thickly wooded southern
regions. The _P. megapodius_, is called by the Chilenos, “_El Turco_;”
it lives on the ground amongst the bushes which are sparingly scattered
over the stony hills. With its tail erect, every now and then it may be
seen popping on its stilt-like legs from one bush to another with
uncommon celerity. Its appearance is very strange and almost ludicrous,
and the bird seems always anxious to hide itself. It does not run, but
hops, and can hardly be compelled to take flight. The various loud cries
which it utters, when concealed in the bushes, are as strange as its
appearance. I opened the extremely muscular gizzards of several of these
birds, and found them filled with beetles, vegetable fibres, and
pebbles. Observing the structure of the gizzard, the fleshy covering to
the nostrils, and the arched, rounded wing, and great scratching claws,
it was easy to imagine some distant kind of relationship between these
birds and those of the Gallinaceous order. I was informed that the Turco
makes its nest at the bottom of a deep burrow which it excavates in the
ground.
3. PTEROPTOCHOS ALBICOLLIS. _Kittl._
Pteroptochos albicollis. _Kittl._ Mem. de l’Acad. Petersb. 1. pl. iii.
Vogel von Chili; p. 8. pl. iii.
Megalonyx medius. _Less._ Ill. Zool. pl. lx.
Megalonyx albicollis. _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. (1636,) Aves, p.
15.
Leptonyx albicollis. _D’Orb._ Voy. de l’Amer. Mer. Av. p. 196, pl. viii.
f. 2.
This species is called by the Chilenos “Tapacolo,” or cover your
posteriors. The name is well applied, as the Tapacolo generally carries
its short tail more than erect, that is, inclined backward and toward
the head. It is extremely common in central Chile; and in the same
manner as the Turco replaces the Barking-bird of the southern forest
land, so does the Tapacolo replace a fourth species (_P. rubecula_),
which is an inhabitant of the same forests. The Tapacolo frequents
hedge-rows, and the bushes which are scattered at a considerable
elevation over the sterile hills, where scarcely another bird can exist:
hence it plays a conspicuous part in the ornithology of Chile. In its
manner of feeding, and quickly hopping out of a thicket and back again,
in its desire of concealment, unwillingness to take flight, and
nidification, it manifests a close resemblance with the _P. megapodius_;
its appearance is not, however, so strange, and (as if in consequence)
it exposes itself more readily to view. The Tapacolo is very crafty;
when frightened by any person, it will remain motionless at the bottom
of a bush, and will then, after a little while, try with much address to
crawl away on the opposite side. It is also an active bird, and
continually making a noise; these noises are various and strangely odd;
one is like the cooing of doves, another like the bubbling of water, and
many defy all similes. The country people say it changes its cry five
times in the year, which is according, I suppose, to some change of
season. I was told that the Tapacolo builds its nest at the bottom of a
deep burrow, like the Turco; whereas the _P. Tarnii_, (as well as the
_P. rubecula_, an inhabitant of the same districts,) makes its nest
amongst the sticks just above the ground. This difference in the
nidification, of the southern and northern species, is probably due to
the nature of the damp forests inhabited by the former in which a burrow
could hardly be made dry. I may here observe, that travelling northward
from Valparaiso to Coquimbo, I met near Illapel with a bird closely
allied to the Tapacolo, but which, from some slight difference in
manners, I believed was a distinct species. The range of this supposed
species, is from between Coquimbo and Valparaiso, to at least as far
north as the valley of Copiapó.
4. PTEROPTOCHOS RUBECULA. _Kittl._
Pteroptochos rubecula, _Kittl._ Vog. von Chili, p. 7. pl. ii.
Megalonyx rubecula, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1837, p. 16.
Megalonyx rufogularis, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Voy. de l’Amer. Mer. pl. 7, f.
2.
Leptonyx rubecula, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Voy. de l’Amer. Mer. Av. p. 196.
This species appears to have nearly the same range with the _P. Tarnii_:
its southern limit certainly extends as far as 47° south, but northward,
where the forests cease, near Concepcion, I was unable to ascertain that
this bird is ever met with, and Kittlitz has made the same remark. In
Chiloe, where it is common, it is called by the Indian inhabitants the
“Cheucau.” It frequents the most gloomy and retired spots within the
damp forests. Sometimes, although the cry of the Cheucau is heard close
by, a person may watch attentively and yet in vain; at other times, if
he stands motionless, the red-breasted little bird will approach within
a few feet, in the most familiar manner. It then busily hops about the
entangled mass of rotting canes and branches, with its little tail
cocked upwards. I opened the gizzard of several specimens; it was very
muscular, and contained hard seeds, buds of plants, occasionally some
insects, and vegetable fibres mixed with small stones. The Cheucau is
held in superstitious fear by the Chilotans, on account of its strange
and varied cries. There are three very distinct kinds:—one is called
“chiduco,” and is an omen of good; another “huitreu,” which is extremely
unfavourable; and a third, which I have forgotten. These words are given
in imitation of its cries, and the natives are in some things absolutely
governed by them. I have already stated that I was informed by the
inhabitants that the Cheucau builds its nest amongst sticks close to the
ground.
5. PTEROPTOCHOS PARADOXUS. _G. R. Gray._
Troglodytes paradoxus, _Kittl._ Vog. von Chili, p. 12, pl. 5.—_Id._ Mem.
de l’Acad. St. Peters. 1833, i. pl. 5.
Malacorhynchus Chilensis, _Kittl._ Mem. de l’Acad. St. Peters. 1835, p.
527.
Leptonyx paradoxus, _D’Orb._ Voy. de l’Amer. Mer. Av. p. 197.
This species differs in a small degree from all the others of the genus:
its claws are longer, tarsi shorter, and bill flattened at the top: in
these, and some other respects, it approaches to Scytalopus. I may add,
that from a greater degree of resemblance, especially in the feet, _P.
Tarnii_ and _megapodius_ may be ranked in one section, and _P.
albicollis_ and _rubecula_ in another.
I procured specimens of the _P. paradoxus_ both from Valdivia and
Chiloe; like the _P. Tarnii_ and _P. rubecula_ it is confined to the
regions of forest. Its habits are closely similar to those of the last
species. I opened the gizzard of one at Valdivia, and found it full of
large seeds and the remnants of insects. In Chiloe, where it is much
less common than the Cheucau, it is called by the inhabitants Cheuqui.
Kittlitz procured specimens from Concepcion. He describes the cry which
it utters over and over again, in the same high tone, as very singular,
and more like that of a frog than of a bird.
SCYTALOPUS MAGELLANICUS. _G. R. Gray._
Sylvia Magellanica, _Lath._ Index, ii. p. 528. ♀ Forst. Dr. No. 163. ♀
Scytalopus fuscus, _Gould_, in Proc. of Zool. Soc. Part iv. 1836, p. 39.
♂
—— _Jard. and Selb._ Ill. Orn. New Ser. pl. 19. ♂
Platyurus niger, _Swains._, Two Cent. and a Quarter, p. 323. ♂
This bird has a wider range than the species of the foregoing and
closely allied genus. It is common near Port Famine in Tierra del Fuego,
and on the west coast in the thickly wooded islets of the Chonos
Archipelago. I was assured by an intelligent collector that this bird is
met with, though rarely, in central Chile; and Mr. Gould informs me,
that he has received specimens from that country. It has found its way
over to the Falkland Islands, where, instead of inhabiting forests, it
frequents the coarse herbage and low bushes, which in most parts conceal
the peaty surface of that island. In general appearance the _Scytalopus
fuscus_ might at first be mistaken for a Troglodytes, but in habits it
is closely allied to the several species of Pteroptochos. In a skulking
manner, with its little tail erect, it hops about the most entangled
parts of the forests of Tierra del Fuego; but when near the outskirts,
it every now and then pops out, and then quickly back again. It utters
many loud and strange cries: to obtain a good view of it is not always
easy, and still less so to make it fly. A specimen I procured at Chiloe
had its upper mandible stronger and more arched, but differed in no
other respect.
1. TROGLODYTES MAGELLANICUS. _Gould._
T. Magellanicus, _Gould_, in Proc. of Zool. Soc. Part iv. 1836, p. 88.
This bird has a considerable range. I procured specimens of it near Rio
de Janeiro, on the banks of the Plata, throughout Patagonia, in Tierra
del Fuego, where it is one of the commonest birds, and likewise in
Central Chile: its habits resemble very closely those of the common
Troglodytes of England. In the open country near Bahia Blanca it lived
amongst the thickets and coarse herbage in the valleys; in Tierra del
Fuego, in the outskirts of the forest. Its chirp is harsh. In Chile I
saw one in October building its nest in a hole in a stone wall, in a
situation such as would have been chosen by our Troglodytes.
2. TROGLODYTES PLATENSIS. _Gmel._
I procured specimens of this bird from Bahia Blanca, in Northern
Patagonia, and likewise from the Falkland Islands, where it is not
uncommon. When first killed, its legs and beak appear of larger size,
compared to its body, than in other species of this genus. In the
Falkland Islands it lives, almost exclusively, close to the ground, in
the coarse grass which springs from the peaty soil. I do not think I
ever saw a bird which, when it chose to remain concealed, was so
difficult to disturb. I have frequently marked one down to within a yard
on the open grassy plain, and afterwards have endeavoured, quite in
vain, by walking backwards and forwards, over the same spot, to obtain
another sight of it.
1. SYNALLAXIS HUMICOLA. _Kittl._
S. humicola, _Kittl._ Mem. de l’Acad. St. Peters, i. pl. 6.—_Id._ Vog.
von Chili, p. 13, pl. vi.
Not uncommon in the neighbourhood of Valparaiso. Kittlitz has well
described its habits. He says it lives on the ground under thickets,
that it is active in running about, and that it readily flies from bush
to bush. It holds its tail upright; utters a shrill, quickly reiterated
cry; feeds on insects; but Kittlitz found in the stomach chiefly grains
and berries, with little stones. From these circumstances, he conceives
that this bird shews some affinity with Pteroptochos, but I feel no
doubt that in the form of its beak, wings, tail, manner of carrying the
latter, kind of plumage, sound of voice and habits, the relationship is
much closer with Eremobius, which perhaps it may be considered as
representing on the Pacific side of the Cordillera. Its tongue is
furnished with bristly points, but apparently is less deeply bifid than
in the other species of Synallaxis or Limnornis. I obtained both sexes,
but there is no difference in their plumage.
For the reason just given, I have put this species at the head of its
genus, and therefore nearest to Eremobius, although it is impossible to
represent by a linear arrangement, the multiplied relations between the
following genera—Furnarius, Uppucerthia, Opetiorhynchus, Eremobius,
Anumbius, Synallaxis, Limnornis, Oxyurus; and again, Rhynomya,
Pteroptochos, Scytalopus, and Troglodytes, which, with the exception of
the last, are strictly South American forms.
2. SYNALLAXIS MAJOR. _Gould._
PLATE XXII.
_S. olivaceo fuscus; infra fulvus albo distinctè maculatus; plumis
singulis stria obscura centrali notatis; fronte rufo, remigibus
fuscis, cinereo-fusco externè maculatis, tertiariis nigro fuscis
apice margineque latè cinereo-fuscis; gulâ albâ, plumarum
flavescentium serie fusco maculatarum circumdatâ._
Long. tot. 8 unc.; _rost._ 1; _alæ_, 3¼; _caudæ_, 4; _tarsi_, 1.
Forehead rufous; crown of the head, back of the neck and back olive
brown, with a conspicuous stripe of blackish brown down the centre
of each feather; wing-coverts and lower part of the back olive
brown, with a faint trace of the dark patch in the centre of each
feather; primaries brown, margined externally with greyish brown;
spurious wing and secondaries rufous tipped with brown; tertiaries
blackish brown broadly margined and tipped with greyish brown; two
centre tail feathers dark olive brown; the remainder blackish brown
largely tipped with white; throat white encircled with a series of
feathers of a buff colour spotted with dark brown; breast and all
the under surface tawny indistinctly blotched with white; tarsi with
a very pale blue tinge.
Habitat, Maldonado, north bank of La Plata. (_June_).
This bird is not very common. Those which I saw lived on the ground in
dry and open places, and did not frequent the neighbourhood of lakes
abounding with rushes or thickets, like the greater number of species of
Synallaxis, and the allied genus Limnornis. The flight of this bird is
peculiar, which seems chiefly due to the length of its elegantly
acuminated tail. It sometimes alights and rests on the summit of a
thistle or twig, a habit different from that of any species of the genus
which I have seen. Its manner of living and feeding on the ground might
have been suspected, from the length of the soft secondaries, like those
of a lark or of _Furnarius cunicularius_. The claws also of the front
toes are produced and perhaps they are rather straighter than in other
members of the family. The tongue is bifid and divided into bristly
points. The nest, of which I have seen two, is very peculiar. It is
cylindrical, about two feet long, and placed vertically in the middle of
a thick bush in an exposed situation. It is made externally of prickly
branches, and is very large compared with the size of the bird. The
opening is at the upper extremity, from which a passage leads to the
true nest, which is lined with feathers and hairs. There is a slight
bend in the passage both at its exit and where it enters the nest.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 22._
_Synallaxis major._
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 23._
_Synallaxis rufogularis._
]
3. SYNALLAXIS RUFOGULARIS. _Gould._
PLATE XXIII.
_S. olivaceo fuscus plumis singulis maculâ oblongâ fusco nigrâ;
remigibus primariis secundariisque basi ferrugineo fuscis, apice
nigro fuscis, flavescenti albo marginatis; lineâ superciliari, mento
abdomineque medio flavescenti albis; gulâ ferrugineo fuscâ; pectore
fulvescenti fusco, plumis singulis striâ pallidiore centrali
ornatis._
Long. tot. 6½ unc.; _rost._ ⅞; _alæ_, 3; _caudæ_, 3¼; _tarsi_, 1.
Head and all the upper surface and two centre tail feathers, brown,
with a large oblong patch of brownish black down the centre of each
feather; primaries, except the three outer ones, bounded posteriorly
with an irregular line of black; secondaries, rusty brown at the
base, and brown for the remainder of their length, margined all
round with greyish olive; lateral tail feathers brownish black,
largely tipped with tawny white; stripe from the nostrils over each
eye, chin, and centre of the abdomen, pale buff; sides of the face
and throat grey, with a spot of dark brown down the centre of each
feather; in the centre of the throat, a patch of ferruginous brown;
chest, pale brownish buff, with a fine pale stripe down each
feather; bill and feet brown.
Habitat, Patagonia. (_April._) Valparaiso. (_September._)
These birds are not uncommon on the dry rocky mountains near Valparaiso,
and in the valleys of southern Patagonia, where a few thickets grow.
They hop actively about the withered herbage and low thickets, and often
feed on the ground. The hind claw is weaker and straighter than in most
of the other species of this genus.
4. SYNALLAXIS MALUROIDES.
S. maluroides. _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Voy de l’Amer. Mer. Ois. pl. xiv, f. 2.
Mag. de Zool. 1837, Cl. 11, pl. 22.
My specimens were shot near Maldonado. Iris yellow; tarsi very pale
coloured.
This species, as well as some others of Synallaxis, Anumbius, and
Limnornis, live amongst reeds and other aquatic plants on the borders of
lakes, and have the same general habits. I will, therefore, here
describe them. They all have the power of crawling very quickly by the
aid of their powerful claws and feet, as I soon discovered when they
were not killed at once, for then it was scarcely possible to catch
them. Their soft tail-feathers show signs of being used, but they never
apply them, as the Certhias do, as a means of supporting their bodies.
The tail-feathers were (at least during June) so loosely attached, that
I seldom procured a specimen with all of them perfect; and I saw many
(especially of _S. maluroides_), flying about with no tail. All the
species, or nearly all, utter an acute, but not loud, rapidly reiterated
cry. They are active and busily seek for small insects, chiefly
Coleoptera, in the coarse herbage. The iris in all is rusty red; the
tongue is divided and terminates in bristly points. These reed birds,
which are very numerous both in species and individuals, on the borders
of lakes in the provinces north of the Plata, appear to supply in South
America, the various Sylviæ, which frequent similar stations in Europe.
5. SYNALLAXIS FLAVOGULARIS. _Gould._
PLATE XXIV.
_S. supra fuscescenti cinereus, infra cinereo-fuscus; remigibus
obscurè fuscis, basi obscurè rufis; caudæ plumis sex mediis
nigro-fuscis, externis ferrugineis; genis gulâque flavescentibus,
plumis singulis apice obscurè fuscis._
Long. tot. 6½ unc.; _rost._ ¾;l _alæ_, 2½; _caudæ_, 3⅝; _tarsi_, ¾.
Head and all the upper surface, brown; primaries, dark brown, with the
basal portions rufous; six central tail-feathers, blackish brown;
the remainder ferruginous; sides of the face and throat yellowish,
with the tip of each feather dark brown; the remainder of the under
surface, greyish brown; bill and feet, dark brown.
Habitat, Patagonia.
My specimens were obtained at Bahia Blanca and at Santa Cruz, two
extreme parts of Patagonia. It frequents the thinly scattered thickets
on the arid plains: the hind claw of its foot is not produced as in _S.
rufogularis_, and it lives less on the ground.
6. SYNALLAXIS BRUNNEA. _Gould._
_S. pallide rubro fusca; primariis secundariisque rufis apice fuscis;
caudæ plumis quatuor mediis nigrescenti fuscis, duabus proximis
ferrugineo fuscis internè nigrescenti-marginatis, duabus extimis
ferrugineo fuscis; genis, gulâ abdomineque medio albescentibus;
hypochondriis cinereis._
Long. tot. 5⁴⁄₁₂; unc.; _rost._ ⁵⁄₁₂; _alæ_, 2³⁄₁₂; _caudæ_, ⅝;
_tarsi_, ¹⁰⁄₁₂.
Head and all the upper surface pale reddish brown; primaries and
secondaries, brown at the tip and rufous at the base; four central
tail feathers, blackish brown; the next on each side rusty brown,
margined internally with blackish brown; the two lateral feathers
wholly rusty brown; sides of the face, throat, and centre of the
abdomen, whitish; flanks cinereous; bill and feet brown.
Habitat, Port Desire, Patagonia. (_January._)
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 24._
_Synallaxis flavogularis._
]
This little bird frequents the thickets in the dry valleys near Port
Desire. It often flies from bush to bush, and its habits are nearly like
those of the rest of the genus. From its tail feathers, however, being
little used, and the tarsi being slightly elongated, I suppose it lives
chiefly on the ground. I may observe, that this species comes nearest to
_S. flavogularis_, but that in the form of its tail, straightness of
bill, and kind of plumage, it departs from Synallaxis, and approaches
Eremobius.
7. SYNALLAXIS ÆGITHALOIDES. _Kittl._
S. Ægithaloides. _Kittl._ Mem. de l’Acad. 11. pl. vii.—_Vog. von Chili_,
p. 15, pl. vii.
This bird is common throughout Patagonia and Central Chile, being found
wherever thickets grow on a rocky or dry soil. It sometimes moves about
in small flocks. Its habits, as Kittlitz remarks, resemble in many
respects, those of a titmouse (_Parus_); but there is one remarkable
point of difference, namely, that this bird is able to _run_ very
quickly on the ground. It does not always do so, but often hops about
with great activity; nevertheless, I repeat, I have distinctly seen it
running very quickly amongst the thickets. When hopping from twig to
twig, it does not use its long tail, any more than the long-tailed
titmouse (_Parus caudatus_) of Europe. It utters a harsh, shrill,
quickly reiterated cry, like so many other species of this genus and the
allied ones. In Chile, I several times saw a very large cylindrical
nest, built of prickly twigs of the mimosa, and placed in the middle of
a thorn-bearing bush, with its mouth at the upper extremity; I was
assured by the country people, that although so very large, it belonged
to this little bird.[11] This kind of nidification, the habit of feeding
on the ground, and the length of acuminated tail, are points of
resemblance with _S. major._
8. SYNALLAXIS RUFICAPILLA. _Vieill._
Synallaxis ruficapilla. _Vieill._ Gal. des Ois. pl. lxxiv.
Parulus ruficeps. _Spix._ Av. Sp. Nov. tom. 1. p. 84, t. lxxxvi. f. 1,
m. f. 2. fem.
Sphenura ruficeps. _Licht._ Ver. p. 42.
My specimens were obtained at Maldonado, (June) where it was rare, and
at Buenos Ayres. Near Santa Fè, in Entre Rios, 3° northward, it was
common: Spix found it near the Rio San Francisco in Brazil. Iris
yellowish red; legs with faint tinge of blue; tongue terminated in
bristly points, not deeply bifid. This Synallaxis approaches in
character _Anumbius ruber_. Habits similar to those of _S. maluroides_.
ANUMBIUS RUBER. _D’Orb. & Lafr._
Anumbius ruber. _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1838, p. 18.
Furnarius ruber. _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. 514.
Anumbi rouge. _Azara_, No. 220.
Frequents reeds on the borders of lakes near Maldonado. Habits very
similar to those of _Synallaxis maluroides_, and likewise of the two
species of Limnornis; to one of which _L. curvirostris_, it is most
closely allied in structure. Iris bright yellowish orange; tarsi, with
faint tinge of blue; tongue divided on each side a little below the
extreme point.
GENUS.—LIMNORNIS. _Gould._
Rostrum _capitis longitudine seu longius, leviter a basi ad apicem
arcuatum, lateraliter compressum, haud emarginatum; naribus magnis
basalibus linearibus apertis aut partim operculo tectis_: alæ
_brevissimæ rotundæ, plumis quarta, quinta sextaque ferè æqualibus
et longissimis_; cauda _rotundata et graduata, scapis aliquanto
ultra radios productis_; tarsi _mediocres, fortiter scutellati;
halluce digito medio breviore, robusto, ungue robusto armato,
digitis lateralibus ferè æqualibus, intermediis aliquanto
brevioribus_.
1. LIMNORNIS RECTIROSTRIS. _Gould._
PLATE XXVI.
_L. pallide flavescenti fusca; cervice nigrescenti fusco; caudâ rufa;
tectricibus primariis secundariisque fuscis rufo latè marginatis;
fasciâ pone oculos, gulâ abdomineque flavescenti albis;
hypochondriis fulvis._
Long. tot. 6²⁄₁₂ unc; _rost._ ²⁄₁₂, _alæ_, 2⁶⁄₁₂ _caudæ_, 2⁹⁄₁₂
_tarsi_, ⁹⁄₁₂.
Crown of the head brown; the remainder of the upper surface, pale
yellowish brown; tail rufous and acutely pointed; wing coverts,
primaries and secondaries brown, broadly margined with rufous;
stripe behind the eye, throat, and all the under surface buffy
white; flanks tawny; bill lengthened, orange at the base, dark brown
at the tip; iris rusty red; feet very pale coloured; claws whitish.
Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata. (_June._)
This bird lives amongst the reeds on the borders of lakes. It often
alights vertically on stems of plants, but in climbing does not use its
tail: habits, generally similar to those of _Synallaxis maluroides_.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 26._
_Limnornis rectirostris_
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 25._
_Limnornis curvirostris._
]
2. LIMNORNIS CURVIROSTRIS. _Gould._
PLATE XXV.
_L. rufescenti-fusca; caudâ, remigiumque basibus pallidè:
castaneo-fuscis, lineâ superciliari, genis, gulâ abdomineque albis;
hypochondriis cervino tinctis._
Long. tot. 7 unc., _rost._ 1⅛; _alæ_, 2⁸⁄₁₂; _caudæ_, 3¹⁄₁₂; _tarsi_,
¹⁰⁄₁₂.
Head, all the upper surface, and wings reddish brown; tail and basal
portion of the outer margins of the primaries and secondaries
reddish chesnut brown; stripe over the eye, throat, and all the
under surface white, tinged, especially on the flanks, with fawn
colour; bill orange at the base, the tip brown; legs pale bluish;
claws white; tongue bristled on the sides; near the extremity it is
divided into little bristly points.
Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata. (_June._)
This species frequents the same localities with the last, and I am
unable to point out any difference in its habits. Of the two specimens
collected, the beak of one is very nearly one-tenth of an inch longer
than that of the other; but this is almost wholly due to the sharp point
of the upper mandible projecting beyond the lower mandible in the one,
whereas they are nearly equal in the other.
1. OXYURUS TUPINIERI. _Gould._
Synallaxis tupinieri. _Less._ Zool. de la Coqu. pl. 29. f. 1.
Oxyurus ornatus. _Swains._ 2 Cent, and ¼. p. 324.
This bird is perhaps the most abundant of any land species inhabiting
Tierra del Fuego. It is common along the west coast, (and numerous in
Chiloe,) even as far north as a degree south of Valparaiso; but the dry
country and stunted woods of central Chile are not favourable to its
increase. In the dark forests of Tierra del Fuego, both high up and low
down, in the most gloomy, wet, and scarcely penetrable ravines, this
little bird may be met with. No doubt, it appears more common than it
really is, from its habit of following, with seeming curiosity, every
person who enters these silent woods; continually uttering a harsh
twitter, it flutters from tree to tree, within a few feet of the
intruder’s face. It is far from wishing for the modest concealment of
the creeper (_Certhia familiaris_); nor does it, like that bird, run up
the trunks of trees, but industriously, after the manner of a willow
wren, hops about and searches for insects on every twig and branch.
2. OXYURUS? DORSO-MACULATUS. _Gould._
Synallaxis dorso-maculata. _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Voy. de l’Amer. Mer. Ois.
pl. 14. f. 1.
—— Mag. de Zool. 1837, Cl. 11. p. 21.
My specimen was procured from Maldonado, (_June_), where it was not
common. It frequents the same localities with _Synallaxis maluroides_,
and the two species of _Limnornis_, and has very similar habits with
them. In structure, and in the general shade of its plumage, it is
closely allied to the foregoing species, although differing from it in
habits.
GENUS.—DENDRODRAMUS. _Gould._
_Rostrum capitis longitudine, aut longius, culmine recto, gonide
ascendente, per omnes partes lateraliter compressum, durum et apice
inemarginatum, naribus basalibus longitudinalibusque; alæ mediocres
et subacuminatæ, plumis tertia, quarta et quinta æqualibus
longissimisque; cauda mediocris, scapis ultra radios in spinas
acutas productis; tarsi sub-breves, digitis unguibusque longis, his
multum curvatis, digito externo valido et ferè digiti medii
longitudine, digitis lateralibus inæqualibus, internis multum
brevioribus._
DENDRODRAMUS LEUCOSTERNUS. _Gould._
PLATE XXVII.
_D. capite, dorsi parte superiore alisque nigrescenti fuscis,
rubro-tinctis; primariis secundariisque subferrugineo fusco
irregulariter marginatis, uropygio caudâque nitidè ferrugineis, gulâ
pectoreque albis, abdomine medio rufescenti-fusco, singulis plumis
ad apicem maculâ magnâ ovali albâ; hypochondriis saturatè rufis;
rostro basi corneo, apice pedibusque nigro fuscis._
Long. tot. 6³⁄₁₂ unc.; _rostri_, 1¹⁄₁₂; _alæ_ 3; _caudæ_, 2⁹⁄₁₂;
_tarsi_, ⁹⁄₁₂.
Head, upper part of the back and wings blackish brown, tinged with
red; primaries and secondaries irregularly margined with dull rusty
brown; rump and tail rich ferruginous; throat and chest white;
feathers of the centre of the abdomen reddish brown, with a large
oval spot of white near the tip of each feather; flanks deep rufous;
bill horny at the base, the remainder and the feet blackish brown.
Habitat, Chiloe and Southern Chile.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 27._
_Dendrodramus leucosternus._
]
This bird is common in the forests of Chiloe, where, differently from
the _Oxyurus tupinieri_, it may constantly be seen running up the trunks
of the lofty forest trees. Its manners appeared to me to resemble those
of _Certhia familiaris_. I found Coleopterous insects in its stomach.
Its range does not appear to be extensive; Chiloe to the south, and some
woods near Rancagua (a degree south of Valparaiso) were the extreme
points where I met with it. The Dendrodramus is not found in Tierra del
Fuego, where the _O. tupinieri_ is so numerous. Mr. G. R. Gray remarks
that this genus is very nearly allied to Dendroplex of Mr. Swainson.
FAMILY.—SYLVIADÆ.
SUB-FAM.—MOTACILLINÆ.
1. MUSCISAXICOLA MENTALIS. _D’Orb. & Lafr._
M. mentalis, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1837, p. 66.
—— Voy. dans l’Amer. Mer. Ornith. pl. 40, f. 1.
I procured specimens of this bird from Bahia Blanca, in Northern
Patagonia, from Tierra del Fuego, from Chiloe, and from Central and
Northern Chile. It is everywhere common. It frequents open places; so
that in the wooded countries it lives entirely on the sea beaches, or
near the summits of mountains, where trees do not grow. In the
excessively sterile upper valleys of the Cordillera of Northern Chile I
met with this bird, even at a height of little less than ten thousand
feet, where the last traces of vegetation occur, and where no other bird
lives. It generally moves about in very small flocks, and frequents
rocky streams and marshy ground: it hops and flies from stone to stone,
very much after the manner of our whinchat (_Motacilla rubetra_), but
when alighting it frequently expands its tail like a fan. The sexes are
exactly similar in size and plumage.
Mr. G. R. Gray observes, that the genus Muscisaxicola is probably
synonymous with Lessonia of Mr. Swainson; but the latter name cannot be
used, as it has already been twice employed in other branches of Natural
History.
2. MUSCISAXICOLA MACLOVIANA. _G. R. Gray._
Sylvia macloviana, _Garn._ Voy. de la Coqu. Zool. p. 663.
Curruca macloviana, _Less._
I brought home only one specimen of this bird; it came from East
Falkland Island, whence also those described by Messrs. Lesson and
Garnot were procured. Mr. Gould considered it a distinct species, but
having carefully compared it with _M. mentalis_, I can see not the
smallest difference in any point, excepting that it is somewhat larger
in all its dimensions. The length of the whole body is .6 of an inch
greater, of wing when folded .45, of tarsus .2, greater than in the
foregoing species. I can scarcely hesitate in thinking it a large-sized
local variety, from some favourable condition in the Falkland Islands to
its growth.
3. MUSCISAXICOLA BRUNNEA. _Gould._
_M. griseo-fusca; gutture abdomineque albis flavescenti tinctis,
pectore obscuro; alis caudâque obscure fuscis, singulis plumis
rufescenti-fusco marginatis; rectricum externarum radiis lateralibus
flavescentibus._
Long. tot. 5 unc.; _rostri_, ¹¹⁄₁₆; _alæ_, 3⅛; _caudæ_, 2⁴⁄₈; _tarsi_,
1.
Head, and all the upper surface greyish brown; wings and tail dark
brown, each feather margined with reddish brown; the outer webs of
the external tail feathers buffy white; throat and all the under
surface white, slightly tinged with buff; bill and feet blackish
brown.
Habitat, Port St. Julian, Patagonia. (_January_).
The only specimen I procured was immature.
4. MUSCISAXICOLA NIGRA. _G. R. Gray._
Alauda nigra, _Boddater_.
—— rufa, _Gmel._
—— fulva, _Lath._ Index.
Anthus fulvus, _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. p. 309.
—— variegatus, _Gerv. & Eydoux_, Mag. de Zool. 1836, p. 26.
Sylvia dorsalis, _King._
Lessonia erythronotus, _Swains._ Class. of Birds.
Alouette noire à dos fauve, _Pl. enl._ 738.
L’Alouette à dos rouge, _Azara_, No. 149.
This bird has a wide geographical range. It is found in La Plata,
Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, and on the west coast at least as far north
as the valley of Copiapó, in Northern Chile. It is every where common:
it is a quiet, tame, inoffensive little bird: it lives on the ground,
and frequents sand-dunes, beaches, and rocky coasts, which it seldom
leaves: the broad shingly beds of the rivers in Chile have, however,
tempted it inland, together with the Opetiorhynchus. I was told that it
builds in low bushes.
1. ANTHUS CORRENDERA. _Vieill._
Anthus correndera, _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. i. p. 325.
La correndera, _Azara_, No. 145.
This titlark is found in La Plata, Chile, and the Falkland Islands. I
was informed by an intelligent sealer, that it is the only land-bird on
Georgia and South Orkney (lat. 61° S.): it has, therefore, probably a
further range southward than any other land-bird in the southern
hemisphere. It does not live in flocks, is very common, and resembles a
true Alauda in most of its habits. This species (as well as the
following) is so closely allied to our meadow pipit, _Anthus pratensis_,
that Latham considered it only as a variety; the latter has a high
northern range, as the former has a southern one. There can be little
doubt that the bird alluded to by Mr. Yarrell (British Birds, p. 392,
vol. i.) as having been caught in the Southern Atlantic Ocean, nine
hundred miles from Georgia, was this species, which was mistaken, owing
to its close similarity, for the true _Anthus pratensis_.
2. ANTHUS FURCATUS. _D’Orb. & Lafr._
A. furcatus, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1836, p. 27. Voy. de l’Amer.
Mer. Av. p. 227.
My specimens were procured on the northern bank of the Plata. It is more
common there than the foregoing species, to which it is most closely
allied: its chief distinguishing character appears to be the greater
shortness of its toes and of the hind claw. I have seen this species
alight on twigs. In the breeding season it flies upward, and then falls
to the ground, with raised wings, in the peculiar manner common to the
_Anthus arboreus_ of England. It builds on the ground; nest simple; egg
¹⁰⁄₁₂ of an inch in length, and ⁷⁄₁₂ in width; colour dirty white, with
small specks and blotches of dull red and obscurer ones of purple. This
species, both in habits and structure, appears to be an analogue of _A.
arboreus_ of the northern hemisphere, as _A. correndera_ is of _A.
pratensis_. Mr. Yarrell informs me that the egg of _Anthus furcatus_ is
very different from that of _A. arboreus_, although the parent birds are
so similar.
3. ANTHUS CHII. _Licht._
A. Chii, _Licht. Spix_, Av. Sp. No. i. t. lxxvi. fig. 2. p. 75.
Le Chii, _Azara_, No. 146.
My specimen was procured at Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil.
SYLVICOLA AUREOLA. _Gould._
PLATE XXVIII.
_S. supra flavescenti olivacea; fronte cerviceque nitide flavis,
singulis plumis ad apicem rufescenti castaneis; occipite griseo;
alis caudâque nigrescentibus, latè flavo-marginatis; genis
guttureque nitidè flavis; pectore concolori sed singulis plumis in
medio pallidè castaneo notatis; abdomine albescenti._
Long. tot. 5 unc.; _rostri_, ⁸⁄₁₂; _alæ_, 2⁶⁄₁₂; _caudæ_, 2³⁄₁₂;
_tarsi_, ¹⁰⁄₁₂.
The nape of the neck, back and tail-coverts yellowish olive; the wings
and tail blackish, broadly margined with yellow; the front and crown
yellow, with the tips of the feathers reddish castaneous; the hind
head grey mixed with yellow, the cheeks and the throat bright
yellow; the breast of the same colour, but each feather is marked
down the middle with pale reddish castaneous, the sides and middle
of the abdomen whitish.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago. (_September_).
This bird is not uncommon on these islands. It has the habits of our
Sylviæ. It frequents the thickets in the lower, dry and rocky parts of
the island, and especially a peculiar bush, with thick foliage, which
grows only near the sea-coast.
CYANOTIS OMNICOLOR. _Swains._
Regulus omnicolor, _Vieill._ Gal. pl. 166.
Sylvia rubrigastra, _Vieill._
Regulus Byronensis, _Gray_, Griff. An. King. pl.
Tachuris omnicolor, _D’Orb. & Lafr._
Tachuris roi, _Azara_, No. 161.
My specimens were obtained at Maldonado in June, and therefore probably
it is not a bird of passage. It frequented reeds on the borders of a
lake, but was exceedingly rare. I likewise saw one in Northern
Patagonia, and in a collection of birds at Santiago, in Chile, made
there by an inhabitant of the place. The soles of the feet of this
exquisitely beautiful little bird are bright orange.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 28._
_Sylvicola aureola._
]
TRICHAS VELATA. _G. R. Gray._
Sylvia velata, _Vieill._ Ois. de l’Amer. Sept., ii. pl. 74.
—— _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1836, p. 20.
Tanagra canicapilla, _Swains_, Ill. Orn. pl. 174.
Trichas canicapilla, _Swains_.
My specimen was procured at Maldonado in June.
FAMILY.—FRINGILLIDÆ.
SUB-FAM.—ALAUDINÆ.
MELANOCORYPHA CINCTURA. _Gould._
_M. Fæm. fuscescenti rufa; gulâ abdomineque medio pallidioribus;
remigibus ad apicem nigrescenti fuscis; rectricibus singulis maculâ
albâ ovatâ nigrescenti fuscâ ad apicem notatis._
Long. tot. 5¾ unc.; _alæ_, 3¼; _caudæ_, 2¼; _tarsi_, ¾; _rost._ ½.
The whole of the plumage, bill, and feet, sandy rufous brown, which is
lightest on the throat and centre of the abdomen; primaries near
their extremities passing into blackish brown; and each of the tail
feathers with a large oval spot of blackish brown near the tip.
Habitat, St. Jago, Cape Verde Islands. (_September._)
This bird inhabits the most arid plains of lava; it runs, and in its
habits resembles, in many respects, a lark.
PYRRHALAUDA NIGRICEPS. _Gould._
_P. supra fuscescenti albâ, plumis medio obscurioribus; fronte, genis
lineâque pectoris utrinque albis; corpore infra lineâque à basi
rostri supra oculos ad occiput transiente nigris; caudæ plumis
mediis nigrescentibus fuscescenti albo marginatis, plumis externis
atris._
Long. tot. 4⅝ unc.; _alæ_, 2⅞; _caudæ_, 1⅝; _tarsi_, ⁶⁄₁₀; _rost._
⁴⁄₁₀.
Upper surface brownish white, with the middle of the feathers darker;
the front, cheeks, and a line on each side of the breast white;
beneath the body, and a line from the bill passing over the eyes to
the hind head, black; the tail with the middle feathers blackish,
margined with brownish white, the outer feathers deep black; the
bill and feet pale.
Habitat, St. Jago, Cape Verde Islands. (_September and January._)
Like the last species, this bird inhabits sterile lava plains; it runs
like a lark, and generally goes in small flocks.
SUB-FAM.—PYRRHULINÆ.
SPERMOPHILA NIGROGULARIS. _Gould._
_S. capite corporeque supra, alis caudâque fusco cinereis; loris
gulâque nigris; lineis à rostri angulis per collum utrinque
descendentibus, pectore abdomineque mediis, tegminibusque caudalibus
inferioribus cinereo albis._
_Fem.? supra olivaceo fusca, subtus pallidior._
Long. tot. 3 unc.; _alæ_, 2¼; _caudæ_, 2; _tarsi_, ⅝; _rostri_, ⁵⁄₁₆.
Male.—Head, all the upper surface, wings and tail, brownish grey;
lores and throat black; lines from the angle of the bill down each
side of the neck, centre of the chest and abdomen, and the under
tail coverts greyish white; bill light horn colour; feet dark brown.
Female?—The whole of the plumage olive brown above, and lighter
beneath; bill and feet brown.
Habitat, Monte Video. (_November._)
1. CRITHAGRA? BRASILIENSIS.
Fringilla Brasiliensis, _Spix_, Av. Sp. Nov. ii. t. lxi. f. 1. m. 2.
fem. p. 47.
My specimens were obtained from the northern bank of the Plata, in the
months of June and November.
2. CRITHAGRA? BREVIROSTRIS. _Gould._
_C. vertice dorsoque pallidè olivaceo fuscis, plumis singulis striâ
angustâ mediâ nigro-fuscâ, pennis scapularibus alis caudâque
nigro-fuscis cinereo olivaceo latè marginatis; uropygio virescenti
flavo; loris, gulâ, pectore humero infra, abdomine, tegminibusque
caudæ inferioribus latè flavis._
Long. tot. 5 unc.; _rostri_, ⁷⁄₁₆; _alæ_, 2⅞; _caudæ_, 2¼; _tarsi_, ⅝.
Crown of the head and back, light olive brown, with a narrow stripe of
blackish brown in the centre of each feather; scapularies, wings and
tail, blackish brown, broadly margined with greyish olive; rump
greenish yellow; lores, throat, chest, under surface of the
shoulders, abdomen, and under tail-coverts bright yellow: bill and
feet brown.
Habitat, Maldonado (_May_), and Valparaiso (_September_).
Near Maldonado, I saw very large flocks of this species feeding on the
open grassy plains. When the whole flock rises, these birds utter a low
but shrill chirp. In Chile I obtained only one specimen.
SUB-FAM.—EMBERIZINÆ.
1. EMBERIZA GUBERNATRIX. _Temm._
Emberiza gubernatrix, _Temm._, Pl. Col. 63 & 64.
—— cristata, _Swains_, Zool. Ill. pl. 148.
—— cristatella, _Vieill._ Gal. des Ois. pl. 67.
Yellow crested grosbeak, _Lath._ Hist.
La huppe jaune, _Azara_, No. 129.
My specimen was procured on the banks of the Parana, near Santa Fe, in
latitude 31° S.
2. EMBERIZA LUTEOVENTRIS. _G. R. Gray._
Fringilla luteoventris, _Meyen_, Nov. Act. 1880, pl. 12. f. 3.
This bird was procured at Santa Cruz, in Southern Patagonia; it was rare
there.
CHRYSOMETRIS CAMPESTRIS. _Gould._
Fringilla campestris, _Spix_, Avium Nov. Sp. ii. p. 47, pl. 59. f. 3. ♀
_C. Mas: olivaceous; dorsi plumis singulis flavo marginatis, uropygii
præsertim; vertice, gulâ, alis caudâque nigris, alis caudâque plus
minusve flavo-marginatis; capitis lateribus corporeque infra latè
flavis._
Long. tot. 4 unc.; 11 lin.; _rost._ 5 lin.; _alæ_, 2¾; _caudæ_, 2¼;
_tarsi_, 7 lin.
Male; olivaceous, with each feather of the back margined with yellow,
especially on the rump; the top of the head, throat, wings and tail,
black, the two latter margined more or less with yellow; the sides
of the head and beneath the body bright yellow.
Habitat, forests of Tierra del Fuego (_February_), Valparaiso
(_September_).
SUB-FAM.—FRINGILLINÆ.
1. AMMODRAMUS LONGICAUDATUS. _Gould._
PLATE XXIX.
_A. vertice humeroque cinereo-fuscis, dorso pallescenti fusco,
uropygio rufescenti-fusco tincto, plumis singulis strigâ mediâ
fuscâ; tectricibus alarum majoribus, remigibus primariis
secundariisque et caudâ nigrescentibus, cinereo albo externe
marginatis; fronte, strigâ superciliari corporeque infra
flavescentibus._
Long. tot. 5¾ unc.; _alæ_, 2⅜; _caudæ_, 3; _tarsi_, ¾; _rostri_, ⁹⁄₁₆.
Crown of the head and shoulder, greyish brown; back, light brown,
tinged with reddish brown on the rump, and with a stripe of dark
brown down the centre of each feather; greater wing-coverts,
primaries, secondaries, and tail blackish, margined externally with
greyish white; forehead, stripe over the eye, and all the under
surface, buff; bill black; feet brown. Young, or a bird after
gaining its new plumage, differs in having the whole of the upper
surface rich brown, with a tinge of olive and with a stripe of dark
brown down each feather, and in having the wing coverts margined
with reddish instead of greyish brown.
Habitat, Monte Video (_November_), Maldonado (_June_).
At Maldonado this bird frequented, in small flocks, reeds and other
aquatic plants bordering lakes. In general habits, as well as in place
of resort, it resembles those species of Synallaxis and Limnornis, with
which it is often associated. It appears to live entirely on insects,
and I found in the stomach of one which I opened various minute
Coleoptera. Mr. Gould remarks, that the structure of this Ammodramus is
very remarkable, for that it has a great general resemblance both in
form and colouring to Synallaxis, although the thickness of its bill
shows its relation to the Fringillinæ. In its habits it certainly is
more allied to the former genus, than to its own family.
2. AMMODRAMUS MANIMBE. _G. R. Gray._
PLATE XXX.
Ammodramus xanthornus, in Plate, and in Gould’s MS.
Fringilla Manimbè, _Licht._, Cat. No. 253.
Emberiza Manimbè, _D’Orb. & Lafr._, Syn. p. 77.
Manimbè, _Azara_, No. 141.
My specimen was obtained from Maldonado.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 29._
_Ammodramus longicaudatus._
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 30._
_Ammodramus xanthornus._
]
1. ZONOTRICHIA MATUTINA. _G. R. Gray._
Fringilla matutina, _Licht._, Cat. 25.
—— _Kittl._ Kupfertafeln der Vögel, pl. 23. f. 3.
Tanagra ruficollis, _Spix_, Av. Sp. Nov. ii. t. liii. f. 3. p. 39.
Chingolo, _Azara_, No. 135. Chingolo Bunting, _Lath. Hist._
I procured specimens of this species from the banks of the Plata, Bahia
Blanca in Northern Patagonia, and from Valparaiso in Chile: in these
countries it is perhaps the commonest bird. In the Cordillera, I have
seen it at an elevation of at least 8000 feet. It generally prefers
inhabited places, but it has not attained the air of domestication of
the English sparrow, which bird in habits and general appearance it
represents. It does not go in flocks, although several may be frequently
seen feeding together. At Monte Video I found on the ground the nest of
this species. It contained three eggs; these were .75 of an inch in
length; form, rather rounded; colour, dirty white, with numerous small
spots of chesnut and blackish brown, almost confluent towards the
broadest end. It was in this nest that I found the parasitic egg,
supposed to belong to a species of Molothrus, described in my
journal.[12]
2. ZONOTRICHIA CANICAPILLA. _Gould._
_Z. vertice cinereo; loris regioneque paroticâ obscure fuscis: dorso
collique lateribus rufis, dorso superiori et uropygio fuscis; dorso
medio nigrescenti fusco, plumis singulis pallido fusco marginatis;
tectricibus alarum nigrescenti fuscis, rufescente fusco marginatis,
apice albis, duas fascias obliquas trans alarum formantibus._
Long. tot. 5½ unc.; _alæ_, 2⅞; _caudæ_, 2½; _tarsi_, ⅞; _rostri_, ½.
Crown of the head grey; lores and ear-coverts dark brown; back and
sides of the neck rufous; upper part of the back and rump brown;
centre of the back blackish brown, each feather margined with light
brown; wing-coverts blackish brown, margined with reddish brown, and
tipped with white, forming two oblique bands across the wing;
primaries, secondaries, and tail, dark brown, margined with greyish
brown; throat and all the under surface brownish grey; and feet
brown.
Habitat, Port Desire in Patagonia, and Tierra del Fuego.
This species is not uncommon in Tierra del Fuego, wherever there is any
open space. Of the few birds inhabiting the desert plains of Patagonia,
this is the most abundant. At Port Desire I found its nest: egg,
about .83 in length; form somewhat more elongated than in that of the
last species; colour, pale green, almost obscured by minute freckles and
clouds of pale dull red.
3. ZONOTRICHIA STRIGICEPS. _Gould._
_Z. capite castaneo, lineâ mediâ obscure diviso, plumis singulis striâ
mediâ nigro-fuscâ, humeri flexurâ rufâ; corpore supra fuscescente,
plumis singulis striâ latâ mediâ obscure fuscâ; remigibus, primariis
caudâque nigro-fuscis pallidè fusco marginatis; strigâ superciliari,
faciei collique lateribus, gulâ pectore abdomineque medio cinereis;
hypochondriis tegminibusque caudæ inferioribus flavescentibus._
Long. tot. 5¾ unc.; _rostri_, ½; _alæ_, 2½; _caudæ_, 2⅞; _tarsi_, ⅝.
Head chestnut, divided down the middle by a line of deep grey, each
feather with a stripe of blackish brown down the centre; point of
the shoulder rufous; the remainder of the upper surface light brown,
with a broad stripe of dark brown down the centre of each feather;
primaries and tail brown; secondaries blackish brown, margined all
round with pale brown; stripe over each eye, sides of the face and
neck, throat, breast, and centre of the abdomen, grey; flanks and
under tail-coverts buff; upper mandible black; under mandible light
horn colour; feet brown.
Habitat, Santa Fe. Lat. 31° S. (_October._)
This species appears to replace in this latitude the _Z. matutina_,
which is so abundant on the banks of the Plata and in Chile, as that
species does the _Z. canicapilla_ of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego.
PASSERINA JACARINA. _Vieill._
Tanagra jacarina, _Linn_.
Passerina jacarina, _Vieill_. Ency. Meth. p. 933.
Emberiza jacarina, _D’Orb. & Lafr._, Syn.
Le Sauteur, _Azara_, No. 138.
Euphone jacarina, _Licht_. Cat. p. 30.
Fringilla splendens, _Vieill_. Ency. p. 981?
I procured a specimen of this bird at Rio de Janeiro.
1. FRINGILLA DIUCA. _Mol._
Fringilla Diuca, _Kittl._ Mem. de St. Petersb. t. i. pl. 11.
—— Mag. de Zool. 1837, pl. 69.
Emberiza Diuca, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Syn. Mag. of Zool. 1838, f. 77.
This bird is very common on the coast of Chile, from the humid forests
of Chiloe to the desert mountains of Copiapó. In Chiloe it is perhaps
the most abundant of the land birds; south of Chiloe I never saw it,
although the nature of the country does not change them. On the eastern
side of the continent, I met with this bird only at the Rio Negro, in
northern Patagonia. I do not believe it inhabits the shores of the
Plata, although so common in the open country, under corresponding
latitudes west of the Cordillera. The Diuca, as this Fringilla is called
in Chile, generally moves in small flocks, and frequents, although not
exclusively, cultivated ground in the neighbourhood of houses: habits
very similar to those of the _Zonotrichia matutina_. During incubation,
the male utters two or three pleasing notes, which Molina has in an
exaggerated description called a fine song. In October, at Valparaiso, I
found the nest of this bird in the trellis-work of a vineyard, close by
a much frequented path. The nest is shallow, and about six inches
across; the outer part is very coarse, and composed of the thin stalks
of twining plants, strengthened by the husky calices of a composite
flower; this outside part is lined by many pieces of rag, thread,
string, tow, and a few feathers. Eggs rather pointed, oval, ·94 of an
inch in length; colour, pale dirty green, thickly blotched by rather
pale dull brown, which small blotches and spots become confluent, and
entirely colour the broad end.
2. FRINGILLA GAYI. _Eyd. & Gerv._
Fringilla Gayi, _Eyd. & Gerv._ Mag. de Zool. 1834. pl. 23.
Emberiza Gayi, var. _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Syn. p. 76.
This Fringilla, which was first brought from Chile, is abundant in the
southern parts of Patagonia.
3. FRINGILLA FORMOSA. _Gould._
_F. fronte lorisque nigris; vertice, genis, gulâ, alarum tegminibus
cæruleo griseis, tegminibus primariis, secundariis rectricibusque
griseo-nigris, cærulescenti-griseo marginatis, dorso flavescenti
castaneo; tegminibus caudalibus inferioribus pallidè griseis;
uropygio pectore abdomine hypochondriisque saturatè flavis._
Long. tot. 5½ unc.; _alæ_, 3¼; _caudæ_, 2⅝; _tarsi_, ¾; _rostri_, ½.
Forehead and lores black; crown of the head, sides of the face,
throat, wing coverts, and the margins of the primaries, secondaries,
and tail feathers, blue grey; the remainder of the primaries,
secondaries, and tail feathers, greyish black; back yellowish
chestnut; under tail coverts light-grey; rump, breast, abdomen and
flanks, deep wax yellow; bill bluish horn colour; feet light brown.
Habitat, Tierra del Fuego (_December and February_).
This finch is common on the outskirts of the forests in Tierra del
Fuego. Mr. Gould remarks, that it is nearly allied to _F. Gayi_, but it
is much smaller, and is richer in its colouring.
4. FRINGILLA FRUTICETI. _Kittl._
Fringilla fruticeti, _Kittl._ Kupf. der Vögel, pl. 23. f. 1.
Emberiza luctuosa, _Eyd. et Gerv._ Mag. de Zool. 1834. Cl. 11. pl. 71.
——— _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Syn. p. 80.
I obtained specimens of this bird from Northern Chile, and Southern
Patagonia. I saw it also in the Cordillera of Central Chile, at an
elevation of at least eight thousand feet, near the upper limit of
vegetation. In Patagonia it is not common, it frequents bushy valleys in
small flocks, from six to ten in number. These birds sometimes move from
thicket to thicket with a peculiar soaring flight: they occasionally
utter very singular and pleasing notes.
5. FRINGILLA CARBONARIA. _G. R. Gray._
Emberiza carbonaria, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Synop. p. 79.
I never saw this bird but once, and then it was in small flocks, on the
most desert parts of the plains between the rivers Negro and Colorado,
in Northern Patagonia.
6. FRINGILLA ALAUDINA. _Kittl._
Fringilla alaudina, Kupf. der Vögel, pl. 23. f. 2.
Emberiza guttata, _Meyen_, Nov. Act. Cur. xvii. pl. 12.
——— _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Syn. p. 78: Adult.
Passerina guttata, _Eyd. & Gerv._ Mag. de Zool. 1834. pl. 70. p. 22.
My specimens were obtained from the neighbourhood of Valparaiso.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 31._
_Passer Jagoensis._
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 32._
_Chlorospiza melanodera._
]
1. PASSER JAGOENSIS. _Gould._
PLATE XXXI.
Pyrgita Jagoensis, _Gould_, Proc. of Zool. Soc. 1837. p. 77.
_P. summo capite, et maculâ parvâ gulari intensè nigrescenti-fuscis;
strigâ superciliari, collo, humeris dorsoque intensè castaneis,
hujus plumis strigâ fuscâ centrali notatis; alis caudâque brunneis,
tectricibus alarum minoribus albis, qui color fasciam transversam
efficit: lineâ angustâ albâ à nare ad oculum; genis corporeque
subtùs albis, hoc colore in cinereum ad latera transeunte: rostro,
pedibusque fuscis._
Long. tot. 5 unc.; _caudæ_, 2¼; _alæ_, 2½; _rost._ ½; _tarsi_, ⁵⁄₄.
Crown of the head and a small mark on the throat intense blackish
brown, with a stripe on the eyebrows, the neck, shoulders and back
bright chestnut, the feathers of the latter marked with a central
dusky streak; wings and tail brown, with the smaller wing coverts
white, forming a transverse bar; a narrow white line from the
nostrils to the eye; cheeks and under side of body white, this
colour passing into grey on the sides; beak and feet dusky.
Habitat, St. Jago, Cape Verde Islands (_January_).
This is the commonest bird in the island; it frequents, generally in
small flocks, both the neighbourhood of houses and wild uninhabited
spots. It was building its nest towards the end of August.
2. PASSER HISPANIOLENSIS. _G. R. Gray._
Fringilla Hispaniolensis, _Temm. Man._ i, 353.
In the month of January I obtained a specimen of this bird from St.
Jago, one of the Cape Verde Islands, where it was not common.
1. CHLOROSPIZA? MELANODERA. _G. R. Gray._
PLATE XXXII.
Emberiza melanodera, _Quoy & Gaim._ Voy. de L’Uranie, Zool. i. p. 109.
_C. flavescenti olivacea; dorso superiori cinereo rufoque mixto;
vertice, auribus, colli lateribus pectoreque cinereis rufomixtis;
lineâ à naribus pone oculos transiente genisque albis; plumis inter
rostrum et oculos gulâque atris; remigibus primariis et secundariis
nigrescentibus flavo marginatis: caudâ rectricibus mediis olivaceo
fuscis, tribus externis ferè toto pallidè flavis; abdomine medio
flavescenti albo, lateribus obscurioribus._
Long. tot. 6½ unc.; _alæ_, 3½; _caudæ_, 2¾; _tarsi_, 10 lines;
_rostri_, 5 lin.
Adult. Yellowish olive, mixed with grey and rufous on the upper part
of the back; top of the head, ears, sides of the neck and breast,
grey mixed with rufous; the lines from the nostrils reaching behind
the eyes and cheeks, white; the space between the bill and eye, and
the throat, deep black; the primaries and secondaries blackish,
margined with yellow; the tail, with the middle feathers, olivaceous
black, with the three external nearly wholly pale yellow; the middle
of the abdomen yellowish white, with the flanks darker.
Young: Upper surface brownish white, with the middle of each feather
black; the throat lighter; the wing coverts and secondaries margined
with white and brown; the primaries with yellow; the tail blackish,
with their outer margins yellow, and the external feather wholly
pale yellow white; beneath the body pale yellowish white, streaked
on the breast and flanks with a darker tint.
Habitat, East Falkland Island {_March_), and Santa Cruz, Patagonia
(_April_).
This bird is extremely abundant in large scattered flocks in the
Falkland Islands.
2. CHLOROSPIZA? XANTHOGRAMMA. _G. R. Gray._
PLATE XXXIII.
_C. cinerascenti olivacea, rufo paulo tincta; lineâ à naribus pone
oculos transiente genisque flavis; plumis inter rostrum et oculos
gulâque atris; remigibus secundariis nigrescentibus, cinereo et
olivaceo latè marginatis; primariis nigrescentibus, flavo angustè
marginatis; caudâ cinerascenti nigrâ, plumis externis albis; corpore
infra flavescenti albo, hypochondriis obscurioribus._
Long. tot. 7²⁄₈ unc.; _alæ_, 3⅞; _caudæ_, 3; _tarsi_, 1; _rostri_, 7
lin.
Adult: Greyish olive, very slightly mixed with rufous, a line from the
nostrils reaching behind the eyes and cheeks, yellow; the space
between the bill and eye, and the entire throat, deep black; the
secondaries blackish, broadly margined with grey and olive; the
primaries blackish, slightly margined with yellow; the tail greyish
black, with the outer feathers white; beneath the body yellowish
white, darker on the flanks.
Female: Upper surface brownish white, with each feather blackish brown
in the middle, the head and throat paler; the wing-coverts and
secondaries blackish, margined with brownish white; the primaries
blackish, slightly margined with yellow; the tail blackish
white-margined, with the outer feathers nearly wholly white; beneath
the body yellowish white, streaked with brown on the breast and
flanks: and the space from the nostrils reaching to behind the eyes
and cheeks, yellowish.
Habitat, East Falkland Island (_March_), and Tierra del Fuego
(_February_).
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 33._
_Chlorospiza Xanthogramma._
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 34._
_Tanagra Darwinii._
]
This species is common at the Falkland Islands, and it often occurs
mingled in the same flock with the last one. I suspect, however, it more
commonly frequents higher parts of the hills. These species have a very
close general resemblance; but the marks about the head, which are white
in the _C. melanodera_, are yellow in the _C. xanthogramma_, while the
parts of the tail-feathers which are white in the latter, are yellow in
the _C. melanodera_: this difference of colours does not hold in the
females, but they may be at once distinguished by the greater length of
wing, when folded, of the _C. xanthogramma_.
CHRYSOMITRIS MAGELLANICA. _Bonap._
Fringilla Magellanica, _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. 983; Ois. Chant. de la Zône
Torride, pl. 30; Audubon, Birds of Am. pl. 394, f. 2.
Gafarron, _Azara_, No. 134.
Fringilla icterica, _Licht._ Cat. p. 26.
This bird was very abundant in large flocks during May, at Maldonado; I
found it also at the Rio Negro.
SUB-FAMILY.—TANAGRINÆ.
PITYLUS SUPERCILIARIS.
Tanagra superciliaris, _Spix._ Av. Sp. Nov. 2. t. lvii. fig. 1. p. 44.
My specimen was procured from Santa Fé, in Lat. 31° S.
1. AGLAIA STRIATA. _D’Orb. & Lafr._
PLATE XXXIV.
♂ Tanagra striata, _Gmel._ Syst. 1. 899; Ency. Meth. 776; _Licht._ Cat.
p. 31. Sp. 347; Proc. Zool. Soc. 1837, p. 121, pl. 34 of this work.
L’Onglet, _Buff._ iv. p. 256.
Le Lindobleu, dore et noir, _Azara_, No. 94.
♀ Tanagra Darwinii, _Bonap._; Proc. Zool. Soc. 1837, p. 121.
I saw the only specimen, which I procured, feeding on the fruit of an
opuntia at Maldonado.
Mr. G. R. Gray is induced to consider the species figured under the name
of _T. Darwinii_, as the _T. striata, Gm._ and the _T. Darwinii_ of the
Zoological Society’s Proceedings, as the female of the same species,
while the young birds may be described as following:
Brown, with the margins of the dorsal feathers greenish brown, those
of the wings and tail margined brownish white; head and neck greyish
green; beneath the body pale dusky green, somewhat darker on the
breast and sides; uropygium yellowish green.
Three specimens of this species are contained in the British Museum,
exhibiting male, female, and young.
2. AGLAIA VITTATA.
Tanagra vittata, _Temm._ Pl. col.
Maldonado; not common.
PIPILLO PERSONATA. _Swains_.
PLATE XXXV.
P. personata, _Swains_. Two cent. and a quart. p. 311.
Maldonado; not common. The stomach of one, which I shot, contained
seeds.
EMBERIZOIDES POLIOCEPHALUS. _G. R. Gray._
_E. olivaceus, dorsi plumis medio nigro striatis; capite gulâque
cinereis, priore plumis singulis, medio nigrostriatis; corpore infra
rufescenti albo; hypochondriis tectricibus caudæ inferioribus
obscurioribus; alarum margine latè flava, remigibus primariis
secundariisque nigris; prioribus pallidè olivaceo, posterioribus
olivascente flavo latè marginatis._
Long. tot. 7¾ unc.; _alæ_, 3½; _caudæ_, 4; _tarsi_, 1¼; _rostri_, 8
lin.
Olivaceous, with the feathers of the back marked down the middle with
black; the head and throat cinereous, with each feather of the
former streaked down the middle with black; beneath the body rufous
white, darker on the flanks and under tail coverts: the border of
the wings bright yellow; the secondaries and primaries black, the
former broadly margined with pale olive, the latter with bright
olivaceous yellow; base of bill dusky orange.
Habitat, northern shore of the Plata. (_May_ and _August_.)
This bird is common both near Monte Video and Maldonado, in swamps.
Stomach full of seeds: it makes a shrill loud cry: its flight is clumsy,
as if its tail were disjointed.
FAM.—COCCOTHRAUSTINÆ.
GENUS, GEOSPIZA, _Gould_.
_Corporis figura brevissima et robusta._
_Rostrum magnum, robustum, validum, altitudine longitudinem præstante;
culmine arcuato et capitis verticem superante, apice sine denticulo,
lateribus tumidis._
_Naribus basalibus et semitectis plumis frontalibus._
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 35._
_Pipilo personata_
]
_Mandibulâ superiori tomiis medium versus sinum exhibentibus, ad
mandibulæ inferioris processum recipiendum. Mandibula inferior ad
basin lata, hoc infra oculos tendente. Alæ mediocres remige primo
paulo breviore secundo, hoc longissimo._
_Cauda brevissima et æqualis._
_Tarsi magni et validi, digito postico, cum ungue robusto et digito
intermedio breviore; digitis externis inter se æqualibus at digito
postico brevioribus. Color in maribus niger, in fœm. fuscus._
This singular genus[13] appears to be confined to the islands of the
Galapagos Archipelago. It is very numerous, both in individuals and in
species, so that it forms the most striking feature in their
ornithology. The characters of the species of Geospiza, as well as of
the following allied sub-genera, run closely into each other in a most
remarkable manner.
In my Journal of Researches, p. 475, I have given my reasons for
believing that in some cases the separate islands possess their own
representatives of the different species, and this almost necessarily
would cause a fine gradation in their characters. Unfortunately I did
not suspect this fact until it was too late to distinguish the specimens
from the different islands of the group; but from the collection made
for Captain FitzRoy, I have been able in some small measure to rectify
this omission.
In each species of these genera a perfect gradation in colouring might,
I think, be formed from one jet black to another pale brown. My
observations showed that the former were invariably the males; but Mr.
Bynoe, the surgeon of the Beagle, who opened many specimens, assured me
that he found two quite black specimens of one of the smaller species of
Geospiza, which certainly were females: this, however, undoubtedly is an
exception to the general fact; and is analogous to those cases, which
Mr. Blyth[14] has recorded of female linnets and some other birds, in a
state of high constitutional vigour, assuming the brighter plumage of
the male. The jet black birds, in cases where there could be no doubt in
regard to the species, were in singularly few proportional numbers to
the brown ones: I can only account for this by the supposition that the
intense black colour is attained only by three-year-old birds. I may
here mention, that the time of year (beginning of October) in which my
collection was made, probably corresponds, as far as the purposes of
incubation are concerned, with our autumn. The several species of
Geospiza are undistinguishable from each other in habits; they often
form, together with the species of the following sub-genera, and
likewise with doves, large irregular flocks. They frequent the rocky and
extremely arid parts of the land sparingly covered with almost naked
bushes, near the coasts; for here they find, by scratching in the
cindery soil with their powerful beaks and claws, the seeds of grasses
and other plants, which rapidly spring up during the short rainy season,
and as rapidly disappear. They often eat small portions of the succulent
leaves of the _Opuntia Galapageia_, probably for the sake of the
moisture contained in them: in this dry climate the birds suffer much
from the want of water, and these finches, as well as others, daily
crowd round the small and scanty wells, which are found on some of the
islands. I seldom, however, saw these birds in the upper and damp
region, which supports a thriving vegetation; excepting on the cleared
and cultivated fields near the houses in Charles Island, where, as I was
informed by the colonists, they do much injury by digging up roots and
seeds from a depth of even six inches.
1. GEOSPIZA MAGNIROSTRIS. _Gould._
PLATE XXXVI.
_G. fuliginosa, crisso cinerascenti-albo; rostro nigro-brunnescente
lavato; pedibus nigris._
Long. tot. 6 unc.; _alæ_, 3½; _caudæ_, 2; _tarsi_, 1; _rostri_, ⅞;
alt. _rost._ 1.
Fœm. vel Mas jun.; _corpore intensè fusco singulis plumis olivaceo
cinctis; abdomine pallidiore; crisso cinerascenti-albo; pedibus el
rostro, ut in mare adulto._
Sooty black; with the vent cinereous white, the bill black, washed
with brownish, and the feet black.
Female, or young male: Deep fuscous, with each feather margined with
olive, the abdomen much paler, with the under tail-coverts cinereous
white, the feet and bill like those of the male.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago. (Charles and Chatham Islands.)
I have strong reasons for believing this species is not found in James’s
Island. Mr. Gould considers the _G. magnirostris_ as the type of the
genus.
2. GEOSPIZA STRENUA. _Gould._
PLATE XXXVII.
_G. fuliginosa, crisso albo, rostro fusco et nigro tincto; pedibus
nigris._
Long. tot. 5½ unc.; _alæ_, 3; _caudæ_, 1⅜; _tarsi_, ¾; _rostri_, ⅝;
alt. _rost._ ⅜.
Fœm. _Summo corpore fusco singulis plumis alarum caudæque plumis
exceptis, pallidè cinerascenti-olivaceo cinctis; gulâ et pectore
fuscis; abdomine lateribus et crisso pallidè cinerascenti-fuscis;
rostro brunnescente._
Sooty black, with the under tail coverts white; the bill brown, tinged
with black, and the feet black.
Female: Upper part of the body fuscous, with the margins of each
feather, except those of the wings and tail, pale cinereous olive;
the throat and breast fuscous: the abdomen, sides, and under
tail-coverts pale cinereous-fuscous; the bill brownish.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 36._
_Geospiza magnirostris_
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 37._
_Geospiza strenua_
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 38._
_Geospiza fortis_
]
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago (James and Chatham Islands.)
GEOSPIZA FORTIS. _Gould._
PLATE XXVIII.
_G. intense fuliginosa, crisso albo; rostro rufescenti-brunneo, tincto
nigro; pedibus nigris._
Fœm. (vel Mas jun.) _Corpore suprà pectore et gutture intensè fuscis,
singulis plumis cinerascenti-olivaceo marginatis; abdomine crissoque
pallidè cinerascenti-brunneis; rostro rufescenti-fusco ad apicem
flavescente; pedibus ut in mare._
Long. tot. 4¾ unc.; _alæ_, 3; _caudæ_, 1½; _tarsi_, ¹⁰⁄₁₂; _rostri_,
⁷⁄₁₂.
Deep sooty black; with the under tail-coverts and the bill reddish
brown tinged with black; the feet black.
Female (or young male): The body above, breast and throat, deep
fuscous, with each feather margined with cinereous olive: the
abdomen, and under tail-coverts pale cinereous brown; the bill
reddish fuscous, with the apex yellowish, and the feet like those in
the male.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago, (Charles and Chatham Islands.)
4. GEOSPIZA NEBULOSA. _Gould._
_G. summo capite et corpore nigrescenti-fuscis; singulis plumis
cinerascenti-olivaceo marginatis; corpore subtus pallidiore,
abdomine imo crissoque cinerascentibus; rostro et pedibus intensè
fuscis._
Long. tot. 5 unc.; _alæ_, 2¾; _caudæ_, 1¾; _tarsi_, ¾; _rostri_, ⅝;
alt. _rost._ ½.
MALE.—Upper part of the head and body blackish fuscous, with each
feather margined with cinereous olive; the body beneath paler, with
the lowest part of the abdomen and under tail-coverts ashy; the bill
and feet deep fuscous.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago, (Charles Island.)
5. GEOSPIZA FULIGINOSA. _Gould._
_G. intensè fuliginosa, crisso albo, rostro fusco; pedibus
nigrescenti-fuscis._
Long. tot. 4½ unc.; _alæ_, 2½; _caudæ_, 1⅝; _tarsi_, ¾; _rostri_, 1½;
alt. _rostri_, ⅜.
Fœm. _Summo corpore, alis, caudâque intensè fuscis; singulis plumis
cinerascenti-ferrugineo marginatis; corpore infra cinereo, singulis
plumis medium versus obscurioribus; rostro brunneo; pedibus
nigrescenti-brunneis._
Deep sooty black, with the under tail coverts white; the bill fuscous,
and the feet blackish fuscous.
Female: Upper part of the body; the wings and tail deep fuscous, with
each feather margined with ashy ferrugineous; beneath the body
cinereous, with each feather towards the middle darker; the bill
brown, and the feet blackish brown.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago. (Chatham and James’ Island.)
6. GEOSPIZA DENTIROSTRIS. _Gould._
_G._ (Fœm. vel Mas jun.) _mandibulæ superioris margine in dentem
producto, vertice corporeque supra fuscis; singulis plumis medium
versus obscurioribus; secundariis tectricibusque alarum ad marginem
stramineis; gutture et pectore pallidè brunneis, singulis plumis
medium versus obscurioribus, imo abdomine crissoque
cinerascenti-albis; rostro rufo-fusco; pedibus obscurè plumbeis._
Long. tot. 4¾ unc.; _alæ_, 2⅜; _caudæ_, 1¾; _rostri_, ½; alt. _rost._
⅜.
The margin of the upper mandible produced into a tooth; the vertex and
above the body fuscous, with each feather towards the middle darker;
the margins of the secondaries and wing coverts straw colour; the
throat and breast pale brown, darker towards the middle of each
feather; the sides and under tail-coverts cinereous white; the bill
rufous fuscous, and the feet obscure lead colour.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago.
Mr. Gould considered this specimen a female, from the appearance of its
plumage; but from dissection, I thought it was a male.
7. GEOSPIZA PARVULA. _Gould._
PLATE XXXIX.
_G._ (Mas) _capite, gutture, et dorso fuliginosis; uropygio
cinerascenti-olivaceo; caudâ et alis nigrescenti brunneis; singulis
plumis caudæ et alarum, cinereo-marginatis; lateribus olivaceis,
fusco guttatis; abdomine et crisso albis, rostro et pedibus
nigrescenti-brunneis._
Long. tot. 4 unc.; _alæ_, 2⅜; _caudæ_, 1½; _tarsi_, ¾; _rostri_, ⅜;
alt. _rost._ ⁵⁄₁₆.
Fœm. _Summo capite et dorso cinerascenti-brunneis, gutture, pectore,
abdomine crissoque pallidè cinereis, stramineo tinctis._
The head, throat, and back, sooty black; the lower part of the back
cinereous olive; the tail and wings blackish brown, margined with
cinereous; the sides olive with fuscous spots; the abdomen and under
tail-coverts white; the bill and feet blackish brown.
Female: The upper surface cinereous brown; the throat, breast,
abdomen, and the under tail coverts, pale cinereous tinged with
straw colour.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago. (James’ Island.)
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 39._
_Geospiza parvula._
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 40._
_Camarhynchus psittaculus._
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 41._
_Camarhynchus crassirostris._
]
8. GEOSPIZA DUBIA. _Gould._
_G._ (Fœm. Mas ignot.) _summo capite et corpore suprà fuscis, singulis
plumis cinerascenti-olivaceo marginatis; strigâ superciliari, genis,
gutture, corpore infrà cinerascenti-olivaceis, singulis plumis notâ
centrali fuscâ; alis caudâque brunneis singulis plumis
olivaceo-cinereo marginatis; rostro sordidè albo, pedibus obscurè
fuscis._
Long. tot. 3⅜ unc.; _alæ_, 2¾; _caudæ_, 1⅝; _tarsi_, ⅞; _rostri_, ⅝;
alt. _rostri_, ⅜.
Upper surface fuscous, with each feather margined with cinereous
olive; the streak above the eye, cheeks, throat, and beneath the
body, cinereous olive, with the middle of each feather fuscous; the
wings and tail brown, with each feather margined with cinereous ash;
the bill white, and the feet obscure fuscous.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago, (Chatham Island.)
SUB-GENUS.—CAMARHYNCHUS. _Gould._
CAMARHYNCHUS _differt a genere_ GEOSPIZA, _rostro debiliore, margine
mandibulæ superioris minùs indentato; culmine minùs elevato in
frontem et plus arcuato; lateribus tumidioribus; mandibulâ inferiore
minus in genas tendente._
_Camarhynchus psittaculus_ is the typical species.
1. CAMARHYNCHUS PSITTACULUS. _Gould._
PLATE XL.
_C._ (Fœm.) _summo capite corporeque superiore fuscis; alis caudâque
obscurioribus; gutture corporeque inferiore, cinerascenti-albis,
stramineo tinctis; rostro pallidè flavescenti-fusco; pedibus
fuscis._
Long. tot. 4¾ unc.; _alæ_, 2¾: _caudæ_, 1¾; _tarsi_, ⅞; _rostri_ ½;
alt. _rostri_, ½.
The upper part of the head and body fuscous; the wing and tail darker;
the throat, and beneath the body cinereous white, tinged with straw
colour; the bill pale yellowish fuscous, and the feet fuscous.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago, (James’ Island.)
The species of Camarhynchus do not differ in habits from those of
Geospiza; and the _C. psittaculus_ might often be seen mingled in
considerable numbers in the same flock with the latter. Mr. Bynoe
procured a blackish specimen, which, doubtless, was an old male; I saw
several somewhat dusky, especially about the head.
2. CAMARHYNCHUS CRASSIROSTRIS. _Gould._
PLATE XLI.
_C._ (Mas jun. et Fœm.) _corpore superiore intensè brunneo, singulis
plumis cinerascenti-olivaceo marginatis; gutture pectoreque
cinerascenti-olivaceis, singulis in medio plumis obscurioribus;
abdomine, lateribus crissoque cinereis stramineo tinctis._
Long. tot. 5½ unc.; _alæ_, 3¾; _caudæ_, 2; _tarsi_, 1⅛; _rostri_, ½;
alt. _rostri_, ½.
Upper part of the body deep brown, with each feather margined with
cinereous olive; the throat and breast cinereous olive, with the
middle of each feather darker; the abdomen, sides, and under tail
coverts cinereous tinged with straw colour.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago, (Charles Island?)
I am nearly certain that this species is not found in James Island. I
believe it came from Charles Island, and probably there replaces the _C.
psittaculus_ of James Island. I obtained three specimens, one male, and
two females; from the analogy of so many species in this group, I do not
doubt the old male would be black.
SUB-GENUS.—CACTORNIS. _Gould._
CACTORNIS _differt a genere_ GEOSPIZA _rostro elongato, acuto,
compresso, longitudine altitudinem excellente; mandibulæ superioris
margine vix indentato; naribus basalibus et vix tectis; tarsis
brevioribus, unguibus majoribus et plus curvatis._
_Cactornis scandens_ is the typical species.
1. CACTORNIS SCANDENS. _Gould._
PLATE XLII.
_C. intensè fuliginosa, crisso albo; rostro et pedibus
nigrescenti-brunneis._
Long. tot. 5 unc.; _rostri_, ¾; _alæ_, 2⅝; _caudæ_, 1¾; _tarsi_, ¾.
Fœm. _Corpore superiore, gutture pectoreque intensè brunneis, singulis
plumis pallidiorè marginatis; abdomine crissoque cinereis, stramineo
tinctis; rostro pallidè fusco; pedibus nigrescenti-fuscis._
Deep sooty black, with the under tail-coverts white; the bill and feet
blackish brown.
Female: Upper surface of the body, throat and breast intensely brown,
with the margins of each feather paler; the abdomen and the under
tail coverts cinereous, tinged with straw colour; the bill pale
fuscous, and the feet blackish fuscous.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago, (James’ Island.)
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 42._
_Cactornis scandens._
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 43._
_Cactornis assimilis._
]
The species of this sub-genus alone can be distinguished in habits from
the several foregoing ones belonging to Geospiza and Camarhynchus. Their
most frequent resort is the _Opuntia Galapageia_, about the fleshy
leaves of which they hop and climb, even with their back downwards,
whilst feeding with their sharp beaks, both on the fruit and flowers.
Often, however, they alight on the ground, and mingled with the flock of
the above mentioned species, they search for seeds in the parched
volcanic soil. The extreme scarceness of the jet black specimens, which
I mentioned under the head of the genus _Geospiza_, is well exemplified
in the case of the _C. scandens_, for although I daily saw many brown
coloured ones, (and two collectors were looking out for them), only one,
besides that which is figured, was procured, and I did not see a second.
2. CACTORNIS ASSIMILIS. _Gould._
PLATE XLIII.
TISSERIN DES GALLAPAGOS, (île St. Charles,) _Neboux_, Revue
Zoologique, 1840, p. 291.
_C._ Mas (jun?) _corpore suprà fuliginoso, (gutture abdomineque
exceptis,) cinereo marginatis; rostro pallidè rufescenti-brunneo;
pedibus nigrescenti-brunneis._
Long. tot. 5½ unc.; _rostri_, ¾; _alæ_, 2¾; _caudæ_, 1¾; _tarsi_, ¾.
Upper surface of the body sooty black, margined with cinereous, as
well as the throat and abdomen; the bill pale rufous brown; the feet
blackish brown.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago.
I do not know from which island of the group this species was procured;
almost certainly not from James Island. Analogy would in this case, as
in that of _Camarhynchus crassirostris_, lead to the belief that the old
male would be jet black. By a mistake this bird has been figured
standing on the _Opuntia Darwinii_, a plant from Patagonia, instead of
the _O. Galapageia_. I may here mention that a third and well
characterized species of Cactornis has lately been sent by Captain
Belcher, R.N. to the Zoological Society; as Capt. Belcher visited Cocos
Island, which is the nearest land to the Galapagos Archipelago, being
less than 400 miles distant, it is very probable that the species came
thence.
SUB-GENUS.—CERTHIDEA. _Gould._
CERTHIDEA _differt a genere_ GEOSPIZA _rostro graciliore et acutiore;
naribus basalibus et non tectis; mandibulæ superioris margine recto;
tarsis longioribus et gracilioribus._
Of the foregoing sub-genera, Geospiza, Camarhynchus and Cactornis belong
to one type, but with regard to Certhidea, although Mr. Gould
confidently believes it should also be referred to the same division,
yet as in its slighter form and weaker bill, it has so much the
appearance of a member of the _Sylviadæ_, he would by no means insist
upon the above view being adopted, until the matter shall have been more
fully investigated.
CERTHIDEA OLIVACEA. _Gould._
PLATE XLIV.
_C. summo capite, corpore superiore, alis caudâque olivaceo-brunneis;
gutture et corpore infra cinereis; rostro pedibusque pallidè
brunneis._
Long. tot. 4 unc.; _rostri_, ½; _alæ_, 2; _caudæ_, 1½; _tarsi_, ¾.
Upper part of the head, body, wings and tail, olivaceous brown; the
throat, and beneath the body, cinereous; the bill and feet pale
brown.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago. (Chatham and James Island).
I believe my specimens, which include both sexes, were procured from
Chatham and James Islands; it is certainly found at the latter.
PHYTOTOMA RARA. _Mol._
P. Bloxami, _Children_, Jard. and Selby’s Ill.
P. rutila, _Vieill._ Mag. de Zool. 1832, ii. pl. 5.
P. silens, _Kittl._ Mem. de l’Acad. des Sci. de St. Petersb.
This is not a very uncommon bird in Central Chile: the farmers complain
that it is very destructive to the buds of fruit trees. It is quiet and
solitary, and haunts hedge-rows or bushes; its manners are similar to
those of our bullfinch, (_Loxia Pyrrhula_). Iris bright scarlet. Mr.
Eyton has given an anatomical description of this bird in the Appendix.
DOLICHONYX ORYZIVORUS. _Swains._
Dolichonyx oryzivorus, _Swains._ Faun. Bor. Am. 2. 278.
Emberiza oryzivorus, _Linn._
This one specimen only was seen at James Island, in the Galapagos
Archipelago, during the beginning of October. It is remarkable that a
bird migrating, according to Richardson, as far as 54° N. in North
America, and generally inhabiting marshy grounds, should be found on
these dry rocky islands under the equator. Mr. Gray and myself carefully
compared this specimen with one from North America, and we could not
perceive the slightest difference.
1. XANTHORNUS CHRYSOPTERUS. _G. R. Gray._
Oriolus cayennensis, _Linn._ Syst. 1. 168 ?
Agelaius chrysopterus, _Vieill._
Psarocolius chrysopterus, _Wagl._ Syst. Av. p.
This bird generally frequents marshy grounds. I procured specimens from
La Plata and from Chile; in the latter country it extends at least as
far north as the valley of Copiapo, in 27° 20′: on the eastern plains it
does not range, according to Azara, north of 28°. It builds in reeds.
Molina says it is called by the Indians Thili, or Chile—hence he derives
the name of the country.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 44._
_Certhidea olivacea._
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 45._
_Xanthornus flaviceps._
]
2. XANTHORNUS FLAVUS. _G. R. Gray._
PLATE XLV.
Oriolus flavus, _Gmel._
Psarocolius flaviceps, _Wagl._ Syst. Avium.
Troupiale à tête jaune, _Azara_, No. 66.
This species is common at Maldonado in large flocks.
LEISTES ANTICUS. _G. R. Gray._
Icterus anticus, _Licht._ Cat. p. 19.
Agelaius virescens, _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. 543.
Psarocolius anticus, _Wagl._
Le Dragon, _Azara_, No. 65.
This bird is exceedingly abundant in large flocks on the grassy plains
of La Plata. It is noisy, and in its habits resembles our starling.
1. AGELAIUS FRINGILLARIUS. _G. R. Gray._
Icterus fringillarius, _Spix_, Av. Sp. No. 1. t. lxv. fig. 1 & 2. p. 68.
Psarocolius sericeus, juv., _Wagl._
This species is rare at Maldonado, but appears more common on the banks
of Parana in Lat. 31°. S. Spix says (vol. i. p. 68, Birds of Brazil), it
is found in Minas Geraes.
2. AGELAIUS CHOPI. _Vieill._
Turdus curæus, _Gmel._
Le Chopi, _Azara_, No. 62.
Icterus unicolor, _Licht._
Icterus sulcirostris, _Spix_, Av. Br. pl. 64. f. 2.
This species is common in flocks on the pasture grounds of Chile, and
along the whole western shore of the southern part of the continent. In
Chile it is called, according to Molina, “cureu.” It is a noisy,
chattering bird, and runs in the manner of our starlings. It can be
taught to speak, and is sometimes kept in cages. It builds in bushes.
MOLOTHRUS NIGER. _Gould._
Tanagra bonariensis, _Gmel._
Icterus niger, _Dand._
Passerina discolor, _Vieill._
Icterus maxillaris, _D’Orb. & Lafr._
Icterus sericeus, _Licht._
Psarocolius sericeus, _Wagl._
This Molothrus is common in large flocks on the grassy plains of La
Plata, and is often mingled with the _Leistes anticus_, and other birds.
In the same flock with the usual black kind, there were generally a few
dull brown coloured ones, (_Icterus sericeus_ of _Licht._) which I
presume are the young. Azara states that the brown coloured birds are
smaller than the black glossy ones, and that they sometimes form
one-tenth of the whole number in a flock. In the single specimen which I
brought home, the size, with the exception of the length of the wing, is
only a very little less. Sonnini, in his notes to Azara, considers the
brown birds as the females; I can, however, scarcely believe that so
obvious a solution of the difficulty could have escaped so accurate an
observer as Azara. These birds in La Plata often may be seen standing on
the back of a cow or horse. While perched on a hedge, and pluming
themselves in the sun, they sometimes attempt to sing or rather to hiss:
the noise is very peculiar; it resembles that of bubbles of air passing
rapidly from a small orifice under water, so as to produce an acute
sound. Azara states that this bird, like the cuckoo, deposits its eggs
in other birds’ nests. I was several times told by the country people,
that there was some bird which had this habit; and my assistant in
collecting, who is a very accurate person, found in the nest of the
_Zonotrichia ruficollis_ (a bird which occupies in the ornithology of S.
America the place of the common sparrow of Europe), one egg larger than
the others, and of a different colour and shape. This egg is rather less
than that of the missel-thrush, being ·93 of an inch in length, and ·78
in breadth; it is of a bulky form, thick in the middle. The ground
colour is a pale pinkish white, with irregular spots and blotches of a
bright reddish brown, and others less distinct of a greyish hue. This
species is evidently a very close analogue of the _M. pecoris_ of North
America, from which, however it may at once be distinguished by the
absence of the glossy brown on the head, neck, and upper breast,—by the
metallic blueness of its plumage in the place of a green tinge, and by
its somewhat greater size in all its proportions. The young or brown
coloured specimens of these Molothri resemble each other more closely;
that of the _M. pecoris_ is of a lighter brown, especially under the
throat, and the small feathers on its breast and abdomen have each an
obscure dark central streak. The eggs of the Molothri, although having
the same general character, differ considerably; that of the _M.
pecoris_ being smaller and less swollen in the middle; it is ·85 of an
inch in length, and ·78 in breadth. Its colour cannot be better
described than in the words of Dr. Richardson[15]—it is “of a greenish
white, with rather small crowded and confluent irregular spots of pale
liver brown, intermixed with others of subdued purplish grey.” From this
description it is obvious that the egg of _M. niger_ is larger and of a
much redder tint; the more prominent spots also are larger, the subdued
grey being quite similar in both.
If we were to judge from habits alone, the specific difference between
these two species of Molothrus might well be doubted; they seem closely
to resemble each other in general habits,—in manner of feeding,—in
associating in the same flock with other birds, and even in such
peculiarities as often alighting on the backs of cattle. The _M.
pecoris_, like the _M. niger_, utters strange noises, which Wilson[16]
describes “as a low spluttering note as if proceeding from the belly.”
It appears to me very interesting thus to find so close an agreement in
structure, and in habits, between allied species coming from opposite
parts of a great continent. Mr. Swainson[17] has remarked that with the
exception of the _Molothrus_, the cuckoos are the only birds which can
be called truly parasitical; namely, such as “fasten themselves, as it
were, on another living animal, whose animal heat brings their young
into life, whose food they alone live upon, and whose death would cause
theirs during the period of infancy.” It is very remarkable, that the
cuckoos and the molothri, although opposed to each other in almost every
habit, should agree in this strange one of their parasitical
propagation: the habit moreover is not universal in the species of
either tribe. The Molothrus, like our starling, is eminently sociable,
and lives on the open plains without art or disguise:[18] the cuckoo, as
every one knows, is a singularly shy bird; it frequents the most retired
thickets, and feeds on fruit and caterpillars.[19]
AMBLYRAMPHUS RUBER. _G. R. Gray._
Oriolus ruber, _Gmel._
Amblyramphus bicolor, _Leach._
Sturnus pyrrhocephalus, _Licht._
Sturnella rubra, _Vieill._
Leistes erythrocephala, _Swains._ Class. Birds.
This bird frequented marshy places in the neighbourhood of Maldonado,
but it was not common there. It is more solitary than the following
allied species; I have, however, seen it in a flock. Seated on a twig,
with its beak widely open, it often makes a shrill, but plaintive and
agreeable cry, which is sometimes single and sometimes reiterated. Its
flight is heavy. The young have their heads and thighs merely mottled
with scarlet.
STURNELLA MILITARIS. _Vieill._
Sturnus militaris, _Gmel._
Etourneau des terres Magellanique, Pl. enl. 113.
I met with specimens of this bird on the east coast of the continent
from the Falkland Islands to 31° S., and on the western coast from the
Strait of Magellan to Lima, a space of forty degrees of latitude.
FAMILY.—TROCHILIDÆ.
1. TROCHILUS FLAVIFRONS.
Monte Video.—November. Not abundant.
2. TROCHILUS FORFICATUS. _Lath._
_Edwards’_ Gleanings.
_Vieill._ Ois. dores, t. 1.
Ornismya Kingii, _Less._ Trochilidees, pl. 38.
This species is found over a space of 2,500 miles on the west coast,
from the hot dry country of Lima to the forests of Terra del Fuego,
where it has been described by Captain King as flitting about in a
snow-storm. In the wooded island of Chiloe, which has an extremely damp
climate, this little bird, skipping from side to side amidst the humid
foliage, and uttering its acute chirp, is perhaps more abundant than any
other kind. It there very commonly frequents open marshy ground, where a
kind of bromelia grows: hovering near the edge of the thick beds, it
every now and then dashes in close to the ground; but I could not see
whether it ever actually alighted. At that time of the year there were
very few flowers, and none whatever near the beds of bromelia. Hence, I
was quite sure that they did not live on honey; and on opening the
stomach and upper intestine, by the aid of a lens, I could plainly
distinguish in a yellow fluid, morsels of the wings of diptera,—probably
Tipulidæ. It is evident that these birds search for minute insects in
their winter quarters under the thick foliage. I opened the stomachs of
several specimens which were shot in different parts of the continent,
and in all remains of insects were numerous, forming a black comminuted
mass. In one killed at Valparaiso, I found portions of an ant. Amongst
the Chonos Islands, at a season when there were flowers in open places,
yet the damp recesses of the forests appeared their favourite haunt. In
central Chile these birds are migratory; they make their appearance
there in autumn; the first arrival which I observed was on the 14th of
April (corresponding to our October) but by the 20th they were numerous.
They stay throughout the winter, and begin to disappear in September: on
October 12th, in the course of a long walk, I saw only one individual.
During the period of their summer migration, nests were very common in
Chiloe and the Chonos Island, countries south of Chile. When this
species of _Trochilus_ migrates southward, it is replaced in Chile by a
larger kind, which will be presently described. The migration of the
humming birds on both the east[20] and west coasts of North America,
exactly corresponds to that which takes place in the southern half of
the continent. In both they move towards the tropic during the colder
parts of the year, and retreat poleward before the returning heat. Some,
however, remain during the whole year in Tierra del Fuego; and in
northern California,—which in the northern hemisphere, has this same
relative position which Tierra del Fuego has in the southern,—some,
according to Beechey, likewise remain. Near the south end of Chiloe, I
found on the 8th of December, a nest with eggs nearly hatched. It was of
the ordinary form of nests; rather more than an inch in internal
diameter, and not deep, composed externally of coarse and fine moss,
neatly woven together, and lined with dried confervæ, now forming a very
fine reddish fibrous mass. I feel no doubt regarding the nature of this
latter substance, as the transverse septa are yet quite distinct: hence
this humming bird builds its nest entirely of cryptogamic plants. Egg
perfectly white, elongated, or rather almost cylindrical, with rounded
ends; length ·557 of an inch, and transverse diameter ·352 of an inch.
In January, at the Chonos Islands, when there were young in the nest, a
considerable number of old birds were shot; of these, however, few or
scarcely any had the shining crest of the male. In the only specimen,
which I carefully examined, the metallic tips of the young feathers of
the crest, were just beginning to protrude. Several of these males
without their crest, had a yellowish gorge; and I saw some with a few
light brown feathers on their backs. I presume these appearances are
connected with their state of moult.
3. TROCHILUS GIGAS, _Vieill._
Orsimya tristis, _Less._, Oiseaux Mouches, pl. 3.
This species is common in central Chile. It is a large bird for the
delicate family to which it belongs. At Valparaiso, in the year 1834, I
saw several of these birds in the middle of August, and I was informed
they had only lately arrived from the parched deserts of the north.
Towards the middle of September (the vernal equinox) their numbers were
greatly increased. They breed in central Chile, and replace, as I have
before said, the foregoing species, which migrates southward for the
same purpose. The nest is deep in proportion to its width; externally
three inches and a half deep; internal depth a little under one inch and
three quarters; width within one inch and two-tenths; mouth slightly
contracted. Externally it is formed of fine fibrous grass woven
together, and attached by one side and bottom to some thin upright
twigs; internally it is thickly lined with a felt, formed of the pappus
of some composite flower. When on the wing, the appearance of this bird
is singular. Like others of the genus, it moves from place to place,
with a rapidity which may be compared to that of Syrphus amongst
diptera, and Sphinx among moths; but whilst hovering over a flower, it
flaps its wings with a very slow and powerful movement, totally
different from that vibratory one common to most of the species, which
produces the humming noise. I never saw any other bird, where the force
of its wings appeared (as in a butterfly) so powerful in proportion to
the weight of its body. When hovering by a flower, its tail is
constantly expanded and shut like a fan, the body being kept in a nearly
vertical position. This action appears to steady and support the bird,
between the slow movements of its wings. Although flying from flower to
flower in search of food, its stomach generally contained abundant
remains of insects, which, I suspect, are much more the object of its
search than honey is. The note of this species, like that of nearly the
whole family, is extremely shrill.
In the Appendix an anatomical description of this bird by Mr. Eyton is
given.
ORDER—SCANSORES.
1. CONURUS MURINUS, _Kuhl._
Psittacus murinus, _Gmel._
Perruche, _Pernet_, voy. 1. p. 312.
This parrot feeds in large flocks on the grassy plains of Banda
Oriental, where not a tree can be seen. They are very destructive to the
corn-fields. I was assured that in one year, near Colonia del
Sacramiento, on the north bank of the Plata, 2,500 were killed, a reward
being given for each dozen heads. Many of these birds build their nests
close together in trees, the whole composing a vast mass of sticks. I
saw several of their compound nests on the islands in the river Parana.
2. CONURUS PATACHONICUS.
Psittacus Patagonus, _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. p.
Psittacara Patagonica, _Less._ Voy. de la Coquille Zool. pl. 35 bis.
Psittacara Patachonica, _Lear’s_ Ill. Psitt.
Le Patagon, _Azara_, No. 277.
Pattagonian maccaw, _Lath._ Hist. 11, 105.
I obtained specimens of this bird at Bahia Blanca in Northern Patagonia,
where there is not a single tree, and the country is dry and very
sterile. I did not meet with this species in the southern parts of
Patagonia, but it is common near Concepcion in Chile, in nearly the same
latitude. They build their nests in holes in cliffs of earth or gravel,
together with the _Hirundo cyanoleuca_. In September, at Bahia Blanca,
they were laying: their eggs are quite white, and small in proportion to
the bird. Several usually rush forth from their holes at the same
instant, and utter a noisy scream.
PICUS KINGII. _G. R. Gray._
Picus melanocephalus, _King_, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1830, p. 14.
I procured specimens at Valparaiso, and at the Peninsula of Tres Montes
(Lat. 46° S.) At the latter place, I killed in January a pair, male and
female. Captain King’s specimens were obtained from Chiloe. The male has
its whole head scarlet with only the nape black, so that Captain King’s
specific name is unfortunately not applicable for the species; therefore
Mr. G. R. Gray thinks it should be named after the first describer. The
head of the female is black, with some short reddish brown feathers over
nostrils. There appears to be no other difference in the plumage of the
sexes.
CHRYSOPTILUS CAMPESTRIS. _Swains._
Picus campestris, _Licht._ Cat. p. _Spix_, Av. Br. pl. 116.
Le charpentier des champs, _Azara_, No. 253.
My specimens were obtained from Banda Oriental and Buenos Ayres; I saw
it no further southward. Spix says (Birds of Brazil, vol. i. p. 51.) it
inhabits Minas Geraes. They frequent open plains and especially rocky
ground. They are rather wild, and generally live three or four together.
The tail of these ground woodpeckers seems but little used; their beaks,
however, were generally muddy to the base: in the stomach of one I found
only ants. Their flight is undulatory like that of the English
woodpecker, and their loud cry is likewise similar, but each note more
separate. They alight on the branch of a tree, horizontally, in the
manner of ordinary birds; but occasionally I have seen one clinging in
an upright position to a post. They appear to feed exclusively on the
ground.
COLAPTES CHILENSIS. _Vigors._
Picus Chilensis, _Garnot_, Voy. de la Coquille, Zool. pl. 52.
This bird frequents the dry stony hills of central Chile, on which only
a few bushes and trees grow. It is closely related in habits and
structure to the foregoing species, and appears to be its representative
on the western side of the Cordillera; hence I cannot but think the
institution of the above two genera unfortunate. It is the “_Pitui_” of
Molina, which name, I imagine, it derives from its peculiar cry. Molina
states, that it builds its nest in holes in banks.
1. DIPLOPTERUS NÆVIUS. _Boie._
Cuculus nævius, _Lath._ Ind. 220.
Rio de Janeiro. April.
2. DIPLOPTERUS GUIRA. _G. R. Gray._
Cuculus guira, _Linn._
Crotophaga Piririgua, _Vieil._ Gal. des Ois. pl. 44.
Ptiloleptus cristatus, _Swains._
Buenos Ayres. In small flocks; a noisy, chattering bird.
CROTOPHAGA ANI. _Linn._
Petit Bout-de-Petun, pl. enl. 102. f. 2.
Rio de Janeiro. May. The stomach of several specimens contained remains
of numerous Orthopterous, and some Coleopterous insects.
ORDER GYRATONES. _Bonap._
1. COLUMBA FITZROYII. _King._
Columba Fitzroyii, _King._, in Proc. of Zool. Soc. part 1, 1830, p. 14.
Columba denisea, _Temm._ pl. col. 502.
Columba araucana, _Less._ Voy. de Coqu. pl. 40.?
Peninsula of Tres Montes. Lat. 46° S. January. Captain King’s specimens
were obtained at Chiloe, three degrees northward. I procured other
specimens near Valparaiso. This bird therefore frequents dry rocky land,
and damp impervious forests.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 46._
_Zenaida Galapagoensis._
]
2. COLUMBA LORICATA. _Licht._ Vög. Verz. s. 67.
Columba gymnophthalmus, _Temm._, Pig. i. 18.
—— leucoptera, _Pr. Max._ Reise, 2, p. 242.
—— picazuro, _Temm._ Pig. p. 111.
Picazuro, _Azara_, Voy. No. 317.
Frequents in large flocks the fields of Indian corn in the neighbourhood
of Maldonado. Legs dull “carmine red.” This, probably, is the
representative on the eastern side of the Andes of the foregoing or
Chilian species.
1. ZENAIDA AURITA. _G. R. Gray._
Columba aurita, _Temm._ Pig. p. 60. _Wagl._ sp. 70.
I procured specimens of this bird at Maldonado (where it was very
abundant) in La Plata, and at Valparaiso in Chile.
2. ZENAIDA GALAPAGOENSIS. _Gould._
PLATE XLVI.
_Z. vertice, cervice, dorso caudæque tegminibus obscurè fuscis
vinaceo-tinctis; dorso nigro-guttato; alarum tegminibus fuscis,
plumâ singulâ pallidè vinaceo-fusco terminatâ, pogonii utriusque
margine, maculâ oblongâ magnâ nigrâ, lineâ albâ separatâ; remigibus
primariis et secundariis nigrescenti-fuscis, cinerascenti-albo
angustè marginatis; caudâ fuscescenti cinereo ad apicem fasciâ latâ
irregulari nigra; loris lineâque angustâ supra et infra oculari
nigris pallidè fusco mixtis; gulâ pectoreque vinaceis, colli
lateribus ærato tinctis; crisso, caudæque tegminibus inferioribus
cinerascentibus, rostro nigro, pedibus rufescenti aurantiacis._
Long. tot. 8½ unc.; _alæ_, 5¼; _caudæ_, 3¼; _tarsi_, ⅞; _rostri_, 1.
Crown of the head and back of the neck, dark chocolate brown, with a
vinous tinge; back and tail-coverts the same, the former spotted
with black; wing-coverts brown, each feather having a large oblong
spot of black on the margin of either web, separated by a line of
white, and tipped with light vinous brown, the white predominating
on the larger coverts, primaries and secondaries blackish brown,
finely edged with greyish white; tail brownish grey, crossed near
the extremity with a broad irregular band of black; lores and a
narrow line above and beneath the eye black, interrupted with light
brown: throat and chest rich vinous, glossed on the sides of the
neck with metallic bronze, and fading into greyish on the vent and
under tail-coverts; bill black; feet reddish orange.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago. (Sept. and Oct.)
This species may at once be distinguished from the _Z. aurita_, by the
redder tint of its breast,—the greater number of black marks on the wing
coverts and back—the outer half of some of the feathers on the wing
coverts being white—the marks on the under side of the tail being grey
(instead of white as in the _Z. aurita_) and by the larger size of its
beak.
This dove is one of the most abundant birds in the Archipelago. It
frequents the dry rocky soil of the low country, and often feeds in the
same flock with the several species of _Geospiza_. It is exceedingly
tame, and may be killed in numbers. Formerly it appears to have been
much tamer than at present. Cowley,[21] in 1684, says that the “Turtle
doves were so tame that they would often alight upon our hats and arms,
so as that we could take them alive: they not fearing man, until such
time as some of our company did fire at them, whereby they were rendered
more shy.” Dampier[22] (in the same year) also says that a man in a
morning’s walk might kill six or seven dozen of these birds. At the
present time, although certainly very tame, they do not alight on
people’s arms; nor do they suffer themselves to be killed in such
numbers. It is surprising that the change has not been greater;—for
these islands during the last hundred and fifty years, have been
frequented by buccaneers and whalers; and the sailors, wandering through
the woods in search of tortoises, take delight in knocking down the
little birds.
3. ZENAIDA BOLIVIANA. _G. R. Gray._
Columba Boliviana, _D’Orb. & Lafr._ Mag. de Zool. 1836. Ois. p. 33. pl.
75.
My specimen was obtained (end of August) at Valparaiso.
1. COLUMBINA STREPITANS. _Spix._
(Av. pl. 75, f. 1.)
I procured specimens at Maldonado (where it was not common), on the
banks of the Plata, and at Rio Negro, in Northern Patagonia.
2. COLUMBINA TALPACOTI. _G. R. Gray._
Columba Talpacoti, _Temm._ Pig. p. 22. t. 12.
Columbina Cabocolo, _Spix_, Av. pl. 75a. f. 1.
Le Pigeon rougeatre, _Azara_, No. 323.
My specimens were obtained at Rio de Janeiro.
1. ATTAGIS FALKLANDICA. _G. R. Gray._
Tetrao Falklandicus, _Gmelin_, Syst. 1. 762.
La Caille des Isles Malouines, _Buff._ pl. enl. 222.
Coturnix Falklandica, _Bonn._ Ency. Meth. Orn. 220.
Perdix Falklandica, _Lath._ Ind. Orn. 11, 652.
Ortyx Falklandica, _Steph._ Shaw’s Zool. xi. 386.
This bird is not uncommon on the mountains in the extreme southern parts
of Tierra del Fuego. It frequents, either in pairs or small coveys, the
zone of alpine plants above the region of forest. It is not very wild,
and lies very close on the bare ground.
2. ATTAGIS GAYII. _Less._
Attagis Gayii, _Less._ Cent. Zool. pl. 47, p. 155.
A specimen was given me, which was shot on the lofty Cordillera of
Coquimbo, only a little below the snow-line. At a similar height, on the
Andes, behind Copiapo, which appear so entirely destitute of vegetation,
that any one would have thought that no living creature could have found
subsistence there, I saw a covey. Five birds rose together, and uttered
noisy cries; they flew like grouse, and were very wild. I was told that
this species never descends to the lower Cordillera. These two species,
in their respective countries, occupy the place of the ptarmigan of the
northern hemisphere.
TINOCHORUS RUMICIVORUS. _Eschsch._
Thinocorus rumicivorus, _Eschsch._ Zool. Atl. pl. 2.
Tinochorus Eschscholtzii, _Less._ Cent. Zool. pl. 50.
This very singular bird, which in its habits and appearance partakes of
the character both of a wader and one of the gallinaceous order, is
found wherever there are sterile plains, or open dry pasture land, in
southern South America. We saw it as far south as the inland plains of
Patagonia at Santa Cruz, in lat. 50°. On the western side of the
Cordillera, near Concepcion, where the forest land changes into an open
country, I saw this bird, but did not procure a specimen of it: from
that point throughout Chile, as far as Copiapo, it frequents the most
desolate places, where scarcely another living creature can exist: it
thus ranges over at least twenty-three degrees of latitude. It is found
either in pairs or in small flocks of five or six; but near the Sierra
Ventana I saw as many as thirty and forty together. Upon being
approached they lie close, and then are very difficult to be
distinguished from the ground; so that they often rise quite
unexpectedly. When feeding they walk rather slowly, with their legs wide
apart. They dust themselves in roads and sandy places. They frequent
particular spots, and may be found there day after day. When a pair are
together, if one is shot, the other seldom rises; for these birds, like
partridges, only take wing in a flock. In all these respects, in the
muscular gizzard adapted for vegetable food, in the arched beak and
fleshy nostrils, short legs, and form of foot, the Tinochorus has a
close affinity with quails. But directly the bird is seen flying, one’s
opinion is changed; the long pointed wings, so different from those in
the gallinaceous order, the high irregular flight, and plaintive cry
uttered at the moment of rising, recall the idea of a snipe.
Occasionally they soar like partridges when on the wing in a flock. The
sportsmen of the Beagle unanimously called it the short-billed snipe. To
this genus, or rather to that of the sandpiper, it approaches, as Mr.
Gould informs me, in the shape of its wing, the length of the scapulars,
the form of the tail, which closely resembles that of _Tringa
hypoleucos_, and in the general colour of the plumage. The male bird,
however, has a black mark on its breast, in the form of a yoke, which
may be compared to the red horseshoe on the breast of the English
partridge. Its nest is said to be placed on the borders of lakes,
although the bird itself is an inhabitant of the parched desert. I was
told that the female lays five or six white eggs, spotted with red. I
opened the stomachs of many specimens at Maldonado, and found only
vegetable matter, which consisted of chopped pieces of a thick rushy
grass, and leaves of some plant, mixed with grains of quartz. The
contents of the intestine and the dung were of a very bright green
colour. At another season of the year, and further south, I found the
craw of one full of small seeds and a single ant. Those which I shot
were exceedingly fat, and had a strong offensive game odour; but they
are said to be very good eating, when cooked. Pointers will stand to
them. In the Appendix Mr. Eyton has given an anatomical description of
this bird, which partly confirms that affinity both to the Grallatores
and Razores, which is so remarkable in its habits and external
appearance.
CHIONIS ALBÂ. _Forst._
_Shaw’s_ Nat. Miscel. pl. 481.
I opened the stomach of a specimen killed at the Falkland Islands, and
found in it small shells, chiefly Patellæ, pieces of sea-weed, and
several pebbles. The contents of the stomach and body smelt most
offensively. Forster remarked this circumstance; but since his time,
other observers, namely, Anderson, Quoy, Gaimard, and Lesson (Manuel
d’Ornithologie, tom. ii, p. 342) have found that this is not always the
case, and they state that they have actually eaten the Chionis. I was
not aware of these observations, but independently was much surprised at
the extraordinary odour exhaled. We, like other voyagers in the
Antarctic seas, were struck at the great distance from land, at which
this bird is found in the open ocean. Its feet are not webbed, its
flight is not like that of other pelagic birds, and the contents of its
stomach, and structure of legs, show that it is a coast-feeder. Does it
frequent the floating icebergs of the Antarctic ocean, on which sea-weed
and other refuse is sometimes cast?
1. NOTHURA MAJOR. _Wagl._
Nothura major, _Wagl._ Syst. Av. p. sp. 4.
Tinamus major, _Spix_, Av. pl. 80.
These birds are very common on the northern shores of the Plata. They do
not rise in coveys, but generally by pairs. They do not conceal
themselves nearly so closely as the English partridge, and hence great
numbers may be seen in riding across the open grassy plains. Note, a
shrill whistle. It appears a very silly bird: a man on horseback, by
riding round and round in a circle, or rather in a spire, so as to
approach closer each time, may knock on the head almost as many as he
pleases. The more common method is to catch them with a running noose,
or little lazo, made of the stem of an ostrich’s feather, fastened to
the end of a long stick.[23] A boy on a quiet old horse will frequently
thus catch thirty or forty in a day. The flesh of this bird, when
cooked, is most delicately white, but rather tasteless.
The egg of this species, I believe, closely resembles that of the two
following.
2. NOTHURA MINOR. _Wagl._
Nothura minor, _Wagl._ Syst. Av. p. sp. 4.
Tinamus minor, _Spix_, Av. Br. pl. 82.
I procured a specimen of this bird at Bahia Blanca, in northern
Patagonia, where it frequented the sand-dunes and the surrounding
sterile plains. Its habits appear similar to those of the _N. major_,
but it lies closer and does not so readily take to the wing. It is the
smallest of the species mentioned in this work, and its plumage is less
distinctly spotted. The egg of this bird is described below. Spix’s
specimens were obtained at Tijuco in Brazil. The figure in his work on
the Birds of Brazil, differs slightly from mine, in being less marked on
the breast.
3. NOTHURA PERDICARIA. _G. R. Gray._
Crypturus perdicarius, _Kittlitz_, Vögel von Chili.
This species closely resembles, in its general appearance and habits,
the _N. major_, of which probably it is the analogue on the western side
of the Cordillera. It is larger and has a considerably longer beak than
the _N. major_; its breast is not spotted, and its abdomen has a less
fulvous tinge. The _N. perdicarius_ runs on the open ground, generally a
pair together, in the same unconcealed manner, as its analogue, and does
not readily lie close. Flight similar, but on rising it utters a
shriller whistle, of a different tone. It does not appear to be so
easily caught as the Plata species. It is tolerably abundant in all
parts of Chile, as far north as the valley of Guasco; but I was assured,
that it has never been seen in the valley of Copiapo, although only
seventy miles north of Guasco, and of a similar character. The egg is
very glossy and of a peculiar colour, which, according to Werner’s
nomenclature, is a palish chocolate red: length in longer axis 2·07 of
an inch; shorter axis 1·495 of an inch. The egg of the _N. minor_ is of
a similar colour, but a shade paler, and rather smaller; its length
being 1·815, and its transverse diameter 1·3 of an inch.
RHYNCHOTUS RUFESCENS. _Wagl._
Rhynchotus rufescens, _Wagl._ Av. Syst.
Tinamus rufescens. _Temm._ Gall. iii. p. 552.
Rhynchotus fasciatus. _Spix_, Av. Br. pl. 76.
Cryptura Guaza. _Vieill._
Crypturus rufescens. _Licht._ Vög. Verz. s. 67.
My specimens were procured at Maldonado, where it is a much rarer bird
than the _Nothura major_; I met with it also in the sterile country near
Bahia Blanca. At Maldonado it frequented swampy thickets on the borders
of lakes. It lies very close, and is unwilling to rise, but often
utters, whilst on the ground, a very shrill whistle. When on the wing,
it flies to a considerable distance. Several are generally found
together, but they do not rise at the same instant, like a covey of
partridges. Flesh, when cooked, perfectly white. Spix’s specimens were
procured in the country between St. Paul’s and Minas Geraes; so that
this bird, as well as the _Nothura minor_, has a considerable range.
ORDER—CURSORES. _Temm._
1. RHEA AMERICANA. _Lath._
This bird is well known to abound on the plains of La Plata. To the
north it is found, according to Azara, in Paraguay, where, however, it
is not common; to the south its limit appears to be from 42° to 43°. It
has not crossed the Cordillera; but I have seen it within the first
range of mountains on the Uspallata plain, elevated between six and
seven thousand feet. The ordinary habits of the ostrich are well known.
They feed on vegetable matter, such as roots and grass; but at Bahia
Blanca, I have repeatedly seen three or four come down at low water to
the extensive mud-banks which are then dry, for the sake, as the Gauchos
say, of catching small fish. Although the ostrich in its habits is so
shy, wary, and solitary, and although so fleet in its pace, it falls a
prey, without much difficulty, to the Indian or Gaucho armed with the
bolas. When several horsemen appear in a semicircle, it becomes
confounded, and does not know which way to escape. They generally prefer
running against the wind; yet at the first start they expand their
wings, and like a vessel make all sail. On one fine hot day I saw
several ostriches enter a bed of tall rushes, where they squatted
concealed, till quite closely approached. It is not generally known that
ostriches readily take to the water. Mr. King informs me that in
Patagonia, at the Bay of San Blas and at Port Valdes, he saw these birds
swimming several times from island to island. They ran into the water,
both when driven down to a point, and likewise of their own accord, when
not frightened: the distance crossed was about 200 yards. When swimming,
very little of their bodies appear above water, and their necks are
extended a little forward: their progress is slow. On two occasions, I
saw some ostriches swimming across the Santa Cruz river, where it was
about four hundred yards wide, and the stream rapid. Captain Sturt,[24]
when descending the Murrumbidgee, in Australia, saw two emus in the act
of swimming.
The inhabitants who live in the country readily distinguish, even at a
distance, the male bird from the female. The former is larger and darker
coloured,[25] and has a larger head. The ostrich, I believe the cock,
emits a singular, deep-toned, hissing note. When first I heard it,
standing in the midst of some sand-hillocks, I thought it was made by
some wild beast, for it is a sound that one cannot tell whence it comes,
or from how far distant. When we were at Bahia Blanca in the months of
September and October, the eggs were found, in extraordinary numbers,
all over the country. They either lie scattered single, in which case
they are never hatched, and are called by the Spaniards, huachos, or
they are collected together into a shallow excavation, which forms the
nest. Out of the four nests which I saw, three contained twenty-two eggs
each, and the fourth twenty-seven. In one day’s hunting on horseback
sixty-four eggs were found; forty-four of these were in two nests, and
the remaining twenty scattered huachos. The Gauchos unanimously affirm,
and there is no reason to doubt their statement, that the male bird
alone hatches the eggs, and for some time afterwards accompanies the
young. The cock when on the nest lies very close; I have myself almost
ridden over one. It is asserted that at such times they are occasionally
fierce, and even dangerous, and that they have been known to attack a
man on horseback, trying to kick and leap on him. My informer pointed
out to me an old man, whom he had seen much terrified by one chasing
him. I observe, in Burchell’s Travels in South Africa, that he remarks,
“having killed a male ostrich, and the feathers being dirty, it was said
by the Hottentots to be a nest bird.” I understand that the male emu, in
the Zoological Gardens, takes care of the nest: this habit therefore is
common to the family.[26]
The Gauchos unanimously affirm that several females lay in one nest. I
have been positively told, that four or five hen birds have been
actually watched and seen to go, in the middle of the day, one after the
other, to the same nest. I may add, also, that it is believed in Africa,
that two or more females lay in one nest.[27] Although this habit at
first appears very strange, I think the cause may be explained in a
simple manner. The number of eggs in the nest varies from twenty to
forty, and even to fifty; and according to Azara to seventy or eighty.
Now although it is most probable, from the number of eggs found in one
district being so extraordinarily great, in proportion to that of the
parent birds, and likewise from the state of the ovarium of the hen,
that she may in the course of the season lay a large number, yet the
time required must be very long. Azara states,[28] that a female in a
state of domestication laid seventeen eggs, each at the interval of
three days one from another. If the hen were obliged to hatch her own
eggs, before the last was laid, the first probably would be addled; but
if each laid a few eggs at successive periods, in different nests, and
several hens, as is stated to be the case, combined together, then the
eggs in one collection would be nearly of the same age. If the number of
eggs in one of these nests is, as I believe, not greater on an average
than the number laid by one female in the season, then there must be as
many nests as females, and each cock bird will have its fair share of
the labour of incubation; and this during a period when the females
probably could not sit, on account of not having finished laying.[29] I
have before mentioned the great numbers of huachos, or scattered eggs;
so that in one day’s hunting the third part found were in this state. It
appears odd that so many should be wasted. Does it not arise from some
difficulty in several females associating together, and in finding a
male ready to undertake the office of incubation? It is evident that
there must at first be some degree of association, between at least two
females; otherwise the eggs would remain scattered at distances far too
great to allow of the male collecting them into one nest. Some authors
believe that the scattered eggs are deposited for the young birds to
feed on. This can hardly be the case in America, because the huachos,
although often found addled and putrid, are generally whole.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 47._
_Rhea Darwinii._
]
2. RHEA DARWINII. _Gould._
PLATE XLVII.
_Gould_, in Proceedings of Zoological Soc. 1837, p 35.
_R. pallide fusca, plumâ singulâ distinctâ semilunari notâ candidâ
terminatâ; capite collo, femoribusque pallidioribus: rostri culmine
augusti, ad apicem latiore, frontes plumis parvis setosis anticè
directis et supra nares extensis; tarsi lateribus in dimidiam partem
plumis parvis mollibus tectis; tarso ⅔ anticè posticeque toto,
squamis reticulatis tecto._
Long. tot. 52 unc.; _alæ_, 30; _tarsi_, 11; _rostri_, 2.
The whole of the plumage light brown, each feather with a decided
crescent-shaped mark of pure white at the extremity; head, neck, and
thighs lighter; base of the neck blackish; culmen of the bill
narrow, becoming a little broader towards apex; front with small
bristly feathers, pointing forwards and reaching over the nostrils.
Tarsus with small downy feathers on sides, extending half way
downwards; upper two-thirds of front of tarsus, and whole hinder
side, with reticulated scales.
Habitat, Eastern Patagonia (Lat. 40° S. to 54° S.)
This species, which Mr. Gould, in briefly characterizing it at a meeting
of the Zoological Society, has done me the honour of calling after my
name, differs in many respects from the _Rhea Americana_. It is smaller,
and the general tinge of the plumage is a light brown in place of grey;
each feather being conspicuously tipped with white. The bill is
considerably smaller, and especially less broad at its base; the culmen
is less than half as wide, and becomes slightly broader towards the
apex, whereas in the _R. Americana_ it becomes slightly narrower; the
extremity, however, of both the upper and the lower mandible, is more
tumid in the latter, than in the _R. Darwinii_.
R. Darwinii. R. Americana,
inches inches
Length of beak, from edge of membrane at
base to the apex 2 2⁶⁄₈
Length, from anterior margin of eye to apex 3⁴⁄₁₂ 5⁶⁄₁₂
Width of upper mandible, measured across
middle of nostrils 1¹⁄₂₀ 1⁶⁄₂₀
The skin round and in front of the eyes is less bare in _R. Darwinii_;
and small bristly feathers, directed forwards, reach over the nostrils.
The feet and tarsi are nearly of the same size in the two species. In
the _R. Darwinii_, short plumose feathers extend downwards in a point on
the sides of the tarsus, for about half its length. The upper two-thirds
of the tarsus, in front, is covered with reticulated scales in place of
the broad transverse band-like scales of the _R. Americana_; and the
scales of the lower third are not so large as in the latter. In the _R.
Darwinii_ the entire length of the back of the tarsus is covered with
reticulated scales, which increase in size from the heel upwards: in the
common _Rhea_, the scales on the hinder side of the tarsus are
reticulated only on the heel, and about an inch above it; all the upper
part consisting of transverse bands, similar to those in front.
The first notice I received of this species was at the Rio Negro, in
Northern Patagonia, where I repeatedly heard the Gauchos talking of a
very rare bird, called _Avestruz Petise_. They described it as being
less than the common ostrich (which is there abundant), but with a very
close general resemblance. They said its colour was dark and mottled,
and that its legs were shorter, and feathered lower down than those of
the common ostrich. It is more easily caught by the bolas than the other
species. The few inhabitants who had seen both kinds, affirmed that they
could distinguish them apart, from a long distance. The eggs, however,
of the small species appeared more generally known, and it was remarked
with surprise, that they were very little less than those of the common
_Rhea_, but of a slightly different form, and with a tinge of pale blue.
Some eggs which I picked up on the plains of Patagonia, agree pretty
well with this description; and I do not doubt are those of the Petise.
This species occurs most rarely in the neighbourhood of the Rio Negro;
but about a degree and a half further south they are tolerably abundant.
One Gaucho, however, told me he distinctly recollected having seen one,
many years before, near the mouth of the Rio Colorado, which is north of
the Rio Negro. They are said to prefer the plains near the sea. When at
Port Desire in Patagonia (Lat. 48°), Mr. Martens shot an ostrich; I
looked at it, and from most unfortunately forgetting at the moment, the
whole subject of the Petises, thought it was a two-third grown one of
the common sort. The bird was skinned and cooked before my memory
returned. But the head, neck, legs, wings, many of the larger feathers,
and a large part of the skin, had been preserved. From these a very
nearly perfect specimen has been put together, and is now exhibited in
the museum of the Zoological Society. M. A. D’Orbigny, a distinguished
French naturalist, when at the Rio Negro, made great exertions to
procure this bird, but had not the good fortune to succeed. He mentions
it in his Travels (vol. ii. p. 76.) and proposes (in case, I presume, of
his obtaining a specimen at some future time, and thus being able to
characterize it,) to call it _Rhea pennata_. A notice of this species
was given long since (A.D. 1749) by Dobrizhoffer, in his account of the
Abipones (vol. i. Eng. Trans. p. 314). He says, “You must know,
moreover, that Emus differ in size and habits in different tracts of
land; for those that inhabit the plains of Buenos Ayres and Tucuman are
larger, and have black, white, and grey feathers; those near to the
Strait of Magellan are smaller, and more beautiful, for their white
feathers are tipped with black at the extremity, and their black ones in
like manner terminate in white.”
Among the Patagonian Indians in the Strait of Magellan, we found a
half-bred Indian, who had lived some years with this tribe, but had been
born in the northern provinces. I asked him if he had ever heard of the
Avestruz Petise? He answered by saying, “Why there are none others in
these southern countries.” He informed me that the number of eggs in the
nest of the Petise is considerably less than with the other kind,
namely, not more than fifteen on an average; but he asserted that more
than one female deposited them. At Santa Cruz we saw several of these
birds. They were excessively wary: I think they could see a person
approaching, when he was so far off as not to distinguish the ostrich.
In ascending the river few were seen; but in our quiet and rapid
descent, many, in pairs and by fours or fives, were observed. It was
remarked by some of the officers, and I think with truth, that this bird
did not expand its wings, when first starting at full speed, after the
manner of the northern kind. The fact of these ostriches swimming across
the river has been mentioned. In conclusion, I may repeat that the _R.
Americana_ inhabits the eastern plains of S. America as far as a little
south of the Rio Negro, in lat. 41°, and that the _R. Darwinii_ takes
its place in Southern Patagonia; the part about the Rio Negro being
neutral territory. Wallis saw ostriches at Bachelor’s river (lat 53°
54′), in the Strait of Magellan, which must be the extreme southern
possible range of the Petise.
ORDER—GRALLATORES.
OREOPHILUS TOTANIROSTRIS. _Jard. & Selb._
Oreophilus totanirostris, _Jard. & Selb._ Illustr. of Orn. iii. pl. 151.
My specimens were obtained at Maldonado and at Valparaiso. At the
former, it was common, feeding on the open grassy plains in small
flocks, mingled with the icteri and the thrush-like _Xolmis variegata_.
When these birds rise on the wing, they utter a plaintive cry. Legs
“crimson red;” toes leaden colour, with their under surface remarkably
soft and fleshy. Iris dark brown.
CHARADRIUS VIRGININUS. _Borkh._
Charadrius virgininus, _Borkh._ Act. Acad. Cæs. Leop. Car. Nat. Cur.
1834. xvi. pl. 18.
Charadrius marmoratus, _Wagl._
This representative of the golden plover of Europe and North America, is
common on the banks of the Plata in large and small flocks. It is found
also, according to Meyer, in Chile.
1. SQUATAROLA CINCTA. _Jard. & Selby._
Tringa Urvillii, _Garnot_, Ann. Ic. Nat. Jan. 1826.
Vanellus cinctus, _Less._ Voy. de la Coqu. Zool. p. 720. pl. xliii.
Squatarola cincta, _Jard. & Selby’s_ Illust. Orn. pl. 110.
Charadrius rubecola, _Vig._ Journ. iv. p. 96.
I obtained specimens of this bird in Tierra del Fuego, where it
inhabited both the sea shore and the bare stony summits of the
mountains; at the Falkland Islands, where it frequented the upland
marshes; and at Chiloe, where I met with large flocks in the fields, not
near the coast.
2. SQUATAROLA FUSCA. _Gould._
_S. vertice corporeque supra fuscis, dorsi parapterique plumis
pallidiore marginatis; remigibus primariis nigrescenti fuscis,
pogoniis externis albo angustè marginatis rhachibus albis; uropygio
caudâque obscurè fuscis, remigibus externis albo latè marginatis et
terminatis; fronte, genis, gulâ, abdomine postico, caudæeque
tegminibus inferioribus flavescenti albis, colli pectorisque
lateribus fuscis, colli plumis fusco pallido terminatis; pedibus
nigris._
Long. tot. 8 unc.; _alæ_, 5⅝; _caudæ_, 3; _tarsi_, 1⅜; _rostri_, ⅞.
Crown of the head, all the upper surface brown, the feathers of the
back and the scapularies, margined with paler; primaries blackish
brown, finely edged on their inner margins with white, and with
white shafts; rump and tail dark brown, the outer feathers largely
margined and tipped with white; forehead and sides of the face sandy
white; throat, lower part of the abdomen, and under tail coverts,
buffy white; sides of the neck and chest brown; the feathers of the
latter tipped with still lighter brown; bill and feet black.
Habitat, Maldonado; inland grassy plains.
This species is most closely allied to the foregoing. I obtained only
one specimen, which, on comparison with several of the _S. cincta_,
appears a little larger in all its dimensions, especially in the length
of the tarsi. Its back and scapularies are of a more uniform brown, the
feathers being less edged with pale brown. Its feet are black, whereas
those of _S. cincta_ are brown.
PHILOMACHUS CAYANUS. _G. R. Gray._
Charadrius Cayanus, _Lath._ Ind. Orn. 11. 748.
I met with this bird from latitude 30° to 45° S. on both sides of S.
America. In La Plata it is called “Teru-tero,” in imitation of its cry;
and in Chile, according to Molina, “Theghel.” These birds, which in many
respects resemble in habits our peewits (_Vanellus cristatus_),
frequent, generally in pairs, open grassy land, and especially the
neighbourhood of lakes. As the peewit takes its name from the sound of
its voice, so does the teru-tero. While riding over the grassy plains,
one is constantly pursued by these birds, which appear to hate mankind,
and I am sure deserve to be hated, for their never-ceasing, unvaried,
harsh screams. The stillness of the night is often disturbed by them. To
the sportsman they are most annoying, by announcing to every other bird
and animal his approach: to the traveller in the country, they may
possibly, as Molina says, do good, by warning him of the midnight
robber. During the breeding season, they attempt, like our peewits, by
feigning to be wounded, to draw away from their nests dogs and other
enemies. Their eggs are of a pointed oval form; of a brownish olive
colour, thickly spotted with dark brown. Their eggs, like those of the
peewit, are esteemed particularly good eating.
1. HIATICULA AZARÆ. _G. R. Gray._
Charadrius Azaræ, _Temm._ pl. col. 184.
—— collaris, _Vieill._
Albatuitui à collier noir, _Azara_, No. 392.
My specimens were obtained on the banks of the Plata and at Valparaiso.
The specimen from the latter country differs from those procured at the
former, in the absence of the black collar on the breast, of the black
streak running from the eye to the corner of the mouth; in the plumage
of the back and back of head having a lesser tinge of red; and
especially in the feet being black, and tarsi blackish, instead of both
being orange, as is the case with those killed on the shores of the
Plata. I have not, however, thought it desirable to make two species of
these birds, not having a larger series of specimens for comparison.
2. HIATICULA TRIFASCIATUS. _G. R. Gray._
Charadrius bifasciatus, _Licht._ Vog. Verz. p. 71.
—— trifasciatus, _Wagl._ Syst. Av. sp. 31.
I procured two specimens of this bird at Bahia Blanca, in Northern
Patagonia.
3. HIATICULA SEMIPALMATA. _G. R. Gray._
Tringa semipalmata, _Temm._
Charadrius semipalmatus, _Caup._ Isis. 1825, p. 1375, t. 14. _Wagl._
Syst. Av. sp. 23.
_Bonap._ Am. Orn. iv. pl. 25, f. 4.
Galapagos Archipelago.
HÆMATOPUS PALLIATUS. _Temm._
Rio Plata.
EGRETTA LEUCE. _Bonap._
Ardea Leuce, Ill.
Ardea Egretta, _Wils._ Am. Orn. pl. 61, f. 4.
My specimen was procured at Maldonado. I saw it also in Patagonia.
ARDEA HERODIAS. _Linn._
Galapagos Archipelago. Frequents the sea-coast and salt-lagoons. There
are no fresh water pools in any of these islands.
1. NYCTICORAX VIOLACEUS. _Bonap._
Ardea violacea, _Linn._
Ardea callocephala, _Wagl._ Syst. Av.
Mr. G. R. Gray has thought it advisable to give the following
description of this specimen, from the Gallapagos Archipelago. It
appears to be a young bird, and is small in all its dimensions.
Upper part blackish grey; each feather marked down the middle with a
broad stripe of black, and tinged on the margins with shining bronze
brown; beneath the body blueish grey, with the front of the neck,
top of the head, and margins of the feathers on the thighs rufous;
the sides of the head and throat deep black, the former divided in
the middle on each side with a patch of white; the bill black, and
feet of a pale reddish colour.
2. NYCTICORAX AMERICANUS. _Bonap._
Ardea nycticorax, _Wils._ (young bird.)
Valparaiso, Chile.
THERISTICUS MELANOPS. _Wagl._
Ibis melanops, _Lath._ Hist. ix. pl. 150.
This bird frequents the desert gravelly plains of Patagonia, as far
south as lat. 48°: in the British Museum there are specimens which
Captain Clapperton brought from central Africa; so that this bird has an
extraordinarily wide range. It generally lives in pairs, but during part
of the year in small flocks. Its cry is very singular and loud: when it
is heard at a distance it closely resembles the neighing of the guanaco.
I opened the stomach of two specimens, and found in them remains of
lizards, cicadæ, and scorpions. It builds in rocky cliffs on the sea
shore: egg dirty white, freckled with pale reddish brown; its
circumference over longer axis is seven inches. The legs are carmine and
scarlet-red: iris scarlet-red.
IBIS (FALCINELLUS) ORDI. _Bonap._
Tantalus Mexicanus, _Ord._ Journ. Acad. Phil.
Tantalus chalcopterus? _Temm._
Ibis Falcinellus, _Bonap._ Am. Orn. iii.
My specimen was obtained at the Rio Negro: it is very numerous in large
flocks on the vast swampy plains between Bahia Blanca and Buenos Ayres.
Its flight when soaring is singularly graceful; the whole flock moving
in precise concert.
1. NUMENIUS HUDSONICUS. _Lath._
Numenius Hudsonicus, _Lath._ Ind. Orn. ii. 712.
This curlew is very abundant on the tidal mud-banks of Chiloe. When the
flock rises, each bird utters a shrill note.
2. NUMENIUS BREVIROSTRIS. _Licht._
Numenius brevirostris, _Licht._ Cat. 75, sp. 774 a.
Buenos Ayres.
LIMOSA HUDSONICA. _Swains._
Scolopax Hudsonica, _Lath._ Ind. Orn. ii. 720.
My specimens were obtained from the Falkland Islands and from Chiloe,
where it frequented the tidal mud-banks in flocks.
1. TOTANUS FLAVIPES. _Vieill._
Totanus flavipes, _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. 1106.
Yellow shanks snipe, _Penn._ Arct. Zool. ii. 468.
—— _Wills._ Am. Orn. pl. 58. f. 4.
Monte Video, Rio Plata.
2. TOTANUS MACROPTERUS. _G. R. Gray._
Tringa macroptera, _Spix_, Av. n. sp. pl. 92.
Monte Video, Rio Plata.
3. TOTANUS MELANOLEUCOS. _Licht. et Vieill._
Scolopax melanoleuca, _Gmel._
Scolopax vociferus, _Wils._ Am. Orn. pl. 58, f. 5.
Chorlito à croupion blanc, _Azara_, No. 394.
Totanus solitarius, _Vieill._
White-rumped snipe, _Lath._
Maldonado, Rio Plata.
4. TOTANUS FULIGINOSUS. _Gould._
_T. corpore supra caudâque fuliginoso-griseis; alis fuscis; gutture
albo; pectore
hypochondriisque plumbeo-griseis; abdomine medio, caudæ tegminibus
inferioribus
albis, illis obscure, bis plane grisescenti fusco fasciatis; rostri
rubescenti fusco;
pedibus obscurè olivaceo fuscis._
Long. tot. 9½ unc.; _alæ_, 6⅝; _caudæ_, 3; _tarsi_, 1¼; _rostri_, ⅝.
The whole of the upper surface and tail sooty-grey; wings dull brown;
throat white; chest and flanks leaden grey; centre of the abdomen
and under tail coverts white, the former indistinctly, and the
latter distinctly, barred with greyish brown; bill, reddish brown;
feet, dark olive brown.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago (_October_).
This species appear quite distinct from any described one.
HIMANTOPUS NIGRICOLLIS. _Vieill._
Himantopus nigricollis, _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. 340.
Recurvirostra himantopus, _Wils._ Am. Orn. pl. 58. f. 2.
My specimens were obtained from the provinces bordering the Plata. On
the great swampy plains and fens which lie between Buenos Ayres and
Bahia Blanca, it is very numerous in small, and occasionally, in large
flocks. This plover, which appears as if mounted on stilts, has been
wrongfully accused of inelegance; when wading about in shallow water,
which is its favourite resort, its gait is far from awkward. In a flock
it utters a noise, which singularly resembles the cry of a pack of small
dogs in full chase: when I travelled across the above mentioned plains,
I was more than once startled, when lying awake at night, at the distant
sound, and thought the wild Indians were coming.
TRINGA RUFESCENS. _Vieill._
Tringa rufescens, _Vieill._, N. Dict. d’Hist. Nat. 34. p. 470.
—— Ency. Meth. Orn. p. 1090.
—— Gal. des Ois. pl. 238.
—— _Yarrel_, Lin. Trans.
—— _Gould_; Birds of Europe, pl.
Monte Video, Rio Plata.
1. PELIDNA SCHINZII. _Bonap._
Tringa Schinzii, _Brehm. Bonap._ Am. Orn. iv. pl. 24. f. 2.
Pelidna cinclus, var. _Say._
Flocks of this species were common on the shores of the inland bays in
the southern parts of Tierra del Fuego.
2. PELIDNA MINUTILLA. _Gould._
Tringa minutilla, _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. 1089.
Galapagos Archipelago. Both the specimens which I procured here are
smaller than the ordinary size of this bird, but do not differ in other
respects. Vieillot says it ranges from the Antilles to Canada.
RHYNCHÆA SEMICOLLARIS. _G. R. Gray._
Totanus semicollaris, _Vieill._, Ency. Meth. p. 1100.
Rhynchæa Hilairea, _Valenc. Less._ Ill. de Zool. pl. 18.
Rhynchæa occidentalis, _King_, Zool. Journ. iv. 94.
Le chorlito a demi colliers blanc et noiratre, _Azara_, No. 409.
Monte Video, Rio Plata. Frequents swamps; habits like the Scolopax
Gallinago.
1. SCOLOPAX (TELMATIAS) PARAGUAIÆ. _Vieill._
Scolopax Paraguai, _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. p. 1160.
—— Brasiliensis, _Swains_, Faun. Bor. Am. Birds, p. 400.
Becassine 1st Espece, _Azara_.
Valparaiso and Maldonado, Rio Plata.
2. SCOLOPAX (TELMETIAS) MAGELLANICUS. _King._
Scolopax Magellanicus, _King_, Zool. Journ.
My specimens were obtained from Maldonado and East Falkland Island.
Flight a very little less irregular and rapid than the English snipe. I
several times in May observed this, as well as the foregoing species,
flying in lofty circles, and suddenly stooping downwards, at the same
time that it uttered a peculiar drumming noise, similar to that made by
the English snipe in summer, when breeding. This species is most closely
allied to the foregoing, but I have no doubt it is distinct; because at
the time when I procured specimens of both at Maldonado, I perceived a
difference between them. This species is there more abundant than the
_S. Paraguaiæ_. Its beak is nearly three-tenths of an inch shorter, and
the culmen rather broader. The plumage of its back is of a decidedly
less dark tint; each separate feather having much less black in it.
STREPSILAS INTERPRES. _Ill._
Tringa Morinellus, _L._
I obtained specimens from Iquique, on the coast of Peru, and from the
Galapagos Archipelago.
CREX LATERALIS. _Licht._
Crex lateralis, _Licht._, Cat. p.
—— _Griff._ An. King. Aves.
Maldonado, Rio Plata. On being disturbed readily takes wing. Base of the
bill, especially of the lower mandible, bright green.
1. ZAPORNIA NOTATA. _Gould._
PLATE XLVIII.
_Z. corpore toto supra nigrescenti-fusco, plumâ singulâ medio
albo-guttatâ et olivaceo-fusco latè marginatâ; remigibus fuscis,
mento albo, corpore infra fuscescenti-nigro, gutture pectoreque
albo-striatis; abdomine tegminibusque caudæ inferioribus albo
irregulariter transverè strigato; rostro obscure corneo; pedibus
olivaceo-viridibus._
Long. tot. 5⅝ unc.; _alæ_, 3¼; _caudæ_, 1⅜; _tarsi_, ⅞; _rostri_, ½.
The whole of the upper surface blackish brown, each feather spotted
with white down the centre, and largely margined with olive brown;
quills plain brown; chin white; the remainder of the under surface
brownish black, striated with white on the throat and chest, and
crossed by irregular bars of the same on the abdomen and under tail
coverts; bill dark horn colour; feet olive green.
Habitat, Rio Plata. (Shot on board the Beagle.)
2. ZAPORNIA SPILONOTA. _Gould._
PLATE XLIX.
_Z. capite corporeque infra, nigrescenti-griseis; corpore supra
obscure rubrofusco, uropygio obscurè grisescenti-nigro; alis
hypochondriis postice, tegminibusque caudæ inferioribus albo
parciter sparsis; rostro nigrofusco; pedibus rubescentibus; iridibus
carmineis._
Long. tot. 5¼ unc.; _alæ_, 2¾; _caudæ_, 1; _tarsi_, ⅞; _rostri_, ¾.
Head and all the under surface blackish grey; all the upper surface
dark reddish brown, fading off on the rump into deep greyish black;
the wings, hinder part of the flanks, and under tail coverts
slightly sprinkled with white; bill, blackish brown; feet, reddish;
iris, bright scarlet.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 48._
_Zapornia notata._
]
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 49._
_Zapornia spilonota._
]
This bird frequents in large numbers the high and damp summits of the
islands. It lives in the thick beds of carex and other plants, which,
from the condensed vapour of the clouds, are constantly kept rather
humid. It is tame, but lives concealed; it often utters a loud and
peculiar cry. The female is said to lay from eight to twelve eggs. It
is, I believe, the only bird in this archipelago which is exclusively
confined to the upper parts of the islands. With respect to the specific
description, I must observe, that in one of the specimens, the few and
small white spots on the wings and abdomen are wanting. This is not a
sexual distinction, but possibly may be owing to immaturity.
1. RALLUS PHILLIPENSIS. _Linn._
Common on the low coral islets, forming the Keeling or Cocos Atoll in
the Indian ocean. With the exception of a snipe, this was the only bird
without webfeet which inhabited this group.
2. RALLUS YPECAHA. _Vieill._
Rallus ypecaha, _Vieill._ Ency. Meth. p. 1071.
Crex melampyga, _Licht._ Cat. Sp.
L’Ypacaha, _Azara_, No. 367.
Buenos Ayres.
3. RALLUS SANGUINOLENTUS. _Swains._
Rallus sanguinolentus, _Swains_, 2 cent. and a quart.
Valparaiso.
GALLINULA CRASSIROSTRIS. _J. E. Gray._
Gallinula crassirostris, _J.E. Gray_, in Griff. An. Kingd.
I obtained specimens on the banks of the Plata and at Valparaiso.
FULICA GALEATA. _G. R. Gray._
Crex galeata, _Licht._ Cat. 80. sp. 826.
Yahana proprement dit, _Azara_, No. 379.
Gallinula galeata, _Bonap._
Concepcion, Chile.
PORPHYRIO SIMPLEX. _Gould._
_P. vertice, remigibus primariis obscurè olivaceo-viridibus, harum
apicibus flavescenti albo angustè marginatis; corpore supra obscure
olivaceo-viridi, plumâ singulâ obscurè fulvo late marginatâ; genis
gutture, corporeque infra flavescentibus; rostro rubro; pedibus
viridescenti-flavis._
Long. tot. 9 unc.; _alæ_, 5½; _caudæ_, 2½; _tarsi_, 1⅞; _rostrio_, ⅞.
Habitat, Ascension Island, Atlantic Ocean. (_July._)
This specimen was killed with a stick near the summit of the Island. It
was evidently a straggler, which had not long arrived. There is no
aboriginal land bird at Ascension.
ORDER—PALMIPEDES.
ANSER MELANOPTERUS. _Eyton._
PLATE L.
Anser melanopterus, _Eyton_, Monog. Anatidæ, p. 93.
Captain FitzRoy purchased a skin of this fine goose at Valparaiso, which
he has presented to the British Museum. There is another specimen at the
Zoological Society, which Mr. Pentland procured from the lake of
Titicaca, in Bolivia.
CHLOEPHAGA MAGELLANICA. _Eyton._
Anas Magellanica, _Gmel._ Syst. i. 505.
Chloephaga Magellanica, _Eyton_, Monog. Anatidæ, p. 82.
Bernicla leucoptera, _Less._ Trait d’Ornith. 627.
This goose is found in Tierra del Fuego, and at the Falkland Islands; at
the latter it is common. They live in pairs and in small flocks
throughout the interior of the island, being rarely or never found on
the sea-coast, and seldom even near fresh water lakes. I believe this
bird does not migrate from the Falkland Islands; it builds on the small
outlying islets. This latter circumstance is supposed to be owing to the
fear of the foxes; and it is perhaps from the same cause, that although
very tame by day, they are much the contrary in the dusk of the evening.
These geese live entirely on vegetable matter; they are called by the
seamen, the “upland geese.” Mr. Eyton, in his excellent Monograph on the
Anatidæ, has described the trachea of this bird, which I brought home in
spirits.
BERNICLA ANTARCTICA. _Steph._
Bernicla antarctica, _Steph._ Sh. Zool. xii. 59.
—— _Eyton_, Monograph, p. 84.
Anas Antarctica, _Gmel._ Syst. i. 505.
This goose is common in Tierra del Fuego, the Falkland Islands, and on
the western coast, as far north as Chiloe. It is called by the sailors
the “rock goose,” as it lives exclusively on the rocky parts of the
sea-coast. In the deep and retired channels of Tierra del Fuego, the
snow-white male, invariably accompanied by his darker consort, and
standing close by each other on some distant rocky point, is a common
feature in the landscape. Mr. Eyton has described the treachea of this
species, which I brought home.
[Illustration:
_Birds. Pl. 50._
_Anser melanopterus._
]
PÆCILONITTA BAHAMENSIS. _Eyton._
Pæcilonitta Bahamensis, _Eyton_, Monog. p. 116.
Anas Bahamensis, _Linn._ Syst. i. 199.
Mareca Bahamensis, _Steph._ Gen. Zool. xii. p. 137.
A specimen was procured from a small salt-water lagoon in the Galapagos
Archipelago (_October_.)
It was a male; bill, lead colour; base of superior mandible purple,
with a black mark in the upper part.
DAFILA UROPHASIANUS. _Eyton._
Dafila urophasianus, _Eyton_, Monog. Anatidæ. p. 112.
Anas urophasianus, _King_, Zool. Journ. iv. 351.
Bahia Blanca, Northern Patagonia.
RHYNCHASPIS MACULATUS. _Gould._
Rhynchaspis maculatus, _Gould_, in Jard. & Selby Illust. Orn. p. 147.
pl. 147.
Mr. Gould observes that, “A good figure of this beautiful shoveller may
be found in the 3rd vol. of Messrs. Jardine and Selby’s Illustrations of
Ornithology. Their figure was taken from an example which I forwarded to
those gentlemen with the name of _maculata_ attached: my specimen was
received from the Rio Plata, and this is also the locality whence (in
October) Mr. Darwin’s specimen was procured. The numerous and
conspicuous spots distributed over the body, renders this species
readily distinguishable from all the other members of the genus.”
1. QUERQUEDULA ERYTHRORHYNCHA. _Eyton._
Querquedula erythrorhyncha, _Eyton_, Monog. Anatidæ, p. 127.
Anas erythrorhyncha, _Spix_, Av. Nov. sp. pl.
My specimens were obtained from Buenos Ayres (_October_) and the Straits
of Magellan (_February_.)
2. QUERQUEDULA CRECCOÏDES. _Eyton._
Querquedula creccoïdes, _Eyton_, Monog. Anatidæ, p. 128.
Anas creccoides, _King_, Zool. Journ. iv. 99.
Mr. Gould observes that, “This species was first described by Mr.
Vigors, from a specimen in the collection brought from the Straits of
Magellan, by Capt. P. P. King. It is a true teal, and in size and form
closely assimilates to the common teal of Europe, and to the species
inhabiting North America (_Querquedula Carolinensis_, Bonap.) to both of
which it is evidently an analogue, and doubtless represents those birds
in the southern half of the American continent.” My specimens were
procured from the Rio Plata, and from the Straits of Magellan.
MICROPTERUS BRACHYPTERUS. _Eyton._
Micropterus brachypterus, _Eyton_, Monog. Anat. p. 144.
Anas brachytera, _Lath._, Ind. Orn. ii. 834.
These great logger-headed ducks, which sometimes weigh as much as
twenty-two pounds, were called by the old navigators, from their
extraordinary manner of paddling and splashing over the water,
race-horses, but now much more properly steamers. Their wings are too
small and weak to allow of flight, but by their aid, partly swimming and
partly flapping the surface of the water, they move very quickly. The
manner is something like that by which the common house duck escapes,
when pursued by a dog; but I am nearly sure that the steamer moves its
wings alternately, instead of, as in other birds, both together. These
clumsy birds make such a noise and splashing, that the effect is most
curious. The steamer is able to dive but a very short distance. It feeds
entirely on shellfish from the floating kelp and tidal rocks; hence the
beak and head are surprisingly heavy and strong, for the purpose of
breaking them. So strong is the head, that I have sometimes scarcely
been able to fracture it with my geological hammer; and all our
sportsmen soon discovered how tenacious these birds were of life. When
pluming themselves in the evening in a flock they make an odd mixture of
sounds, somewhat like bull-frogs within the tropics.
1. PODICEPS KALIPAREUS. _Quoy & Gaim._
My specimens were obtained from Bahia Blanca (September), Northern
Patagonia, and the Falkland Islands. In the former place it lived in
small flocks in the salt-water channels, extending between the great
marshes at the head of the harbour. At the Falkland Islands I saw
(March) very few individuals; and these only in one small fresh water
lake. Tarsi of the same colour as the plumage of the back; iris of a
beautiful tint, between “scarlet and carmine red;” pupil black. Mr.
Gould remarks that, “This beautiful species of _Podiceps_ is equal in
size, and has many of the characters of the _P. auritus_, but is at once
distinguished from that species by the silvery colouring of the plumes
that adorn the sides of the head; which in _P. auritus_ are deep
chestnut.”
2. PODICEPS ROLLANDII. _Quoy et Gaim._
Podiceps Rolland, _Quoy et Gaim_. Voy. de l’Uranie, pl. 36. p. 133.
I obtained specimens from the Falkland Islands (March), where it was
common at the head of the tortuous bays which intersect those islands;
from a fresh water lake near the Strait of Magellan (February); and from
the eastern coast of Chiloe. The male and female have the same plumage.
Iris of a fine red colour. Mr. Gould adds that, “this species appears to
be as nearly related to the _Podiceps cornutus_, as the preceding
species is to _P. auritus_, but is readily distinguishable from it, by
the white spot in the centre of the tuft of feathers that spring from
the sides of the face.”
3. PODICEPS CHILENSIS. _Garnot._
Le macas cornu, _Azara_, No. 443.
This specimen was procured in a fresh water lake near Buenos Ayres.
Capt. P. King brought home specimens from the salt-water channels in
Tierra del Fuego, where it is excessively numerous. It often makes a
very melancholy cry, which suits the gloomy climate of those desolate
shores.
SPHENISCUS HUMBOLDTII. _Meyen._
Spheniscus Humboldtii, _Meyen_. Nov. Act. Acad. Cæs. Leop. Car. Nat.
Cur. 1834, 110. pl. 21.
My specimen was obtained near Valparaiso. Meyen, who first described
this bird, procured it from the coast of Peru.
PUFFINUS CINEREUS. _Steph._
Puffinus cinereus, _Steph_. Gen. Zool. xiii. p. 227.
Procellaria puffinus, _Linn._
This bird frequents the seas on the whole coast of South America. I
obtained specimens from Tierra del Fuego, Chiloe, the mouth of the
Plata, and Callao Bay on the coast of Peru. It is likewise known to be
common in the Northern Hemisphere; this species, therefore, has a most
extensive range. It generally frequents the retired inland sounds in
very large flocks; although, occasionally, two or three may be seen out
at sea. I do not think I ever saw so many birds of any other sort
together, as I once saw of these petrels, behind the Island of Chiloe.
Hundreds of thousands flew in an irregular line, for several hours in
one direction. When part of the flock settled on the water, the surface
was blackened; and a cackling noise proceeded from them, as of human
beings talking in the distance. At this time, the water was in parts
coloured by clouds of small crustacea. The inhabitants of Chiloe told me
that this petrel was very irregular in its movements;—sometimes they
appeared in vast numbers, and on the next day not one was to be seen. At
Port Famine, every morning and evening, a long band of these birds
continued to fly with extreme rapidity, up and down the central parts of
the channel, close to the surface of the water. Their flight was direct
and vigorous, and they seldom glided with extended wings in graceful
curves, like most other members of this family. Occasionally, they
settled for a short time on the water; and they thus remained at rest
during nearly the whole of the middle of the day. When flying backwards
and forwards, at a distance from the shore, they evidently were fishing:
but it was rare to see them seize any prey. They are very wary, and
seldom approach within gun-shot of a boat or of a ship;—a disposition
strikingly different from that of most of the other species. The stomach
of one, killed near Port Famine, was distended with seven prawn-like
crabs, and a small fish. In another, killed off the Plata, there was the
beak of a small cuttle-fish. I observed that these birds, when only
slightly winged, were quite incapable of diving. There is no difference
in the plumage of the sexes. The web between the inner toes, with the
exception of the margin, is “reddish lilac-purple;” the rest being
blackish. Legs and half of the lower mandible blackish purple. From
accounts which I have received, the individuals of this species, which
live in the Northern Hemisphere, appear to have exactly the same habits
as those above described.
1. PELECANOIDES BERARDI. _G. R. Gray._
Puffinuria Berardi, _Less._ Tr. d’Orn. p. 614.
Procellaria Berardi, _Quoy et Gaim_. Voy. de pl. 31
This bird is common in the deep and quiet creeks and inland seas of
Tierra del Fuego, and on the west coast of Patagonia, as far north as
the Chonos Archipelago. I never saw but one in the open sea, and that
was between Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands. This bird is a
complete auk in its habits, although from its structure it must be
classed with the Petrels. To the latter Mr. Gould informs me, its
affinity is clearly shewn by the form of its beak and nostrils, length
of foot, and even by the general colouring of its plumage. To the auks
it is related in the general form of its body, its short wings, shape of
tail, and absence of hind-toe to the foot. When seen from a distance and
undisturbed, it would almost certainly be mistaken, from its manner of
swimming and frequent diving, for a grebe. When approached in a boat, it
generally dives to a distance, and on coming to the surface, with the
same movement takes flight: having flown some way, it drops like a stone
on the water, as if struck dead, and instantaneously dives again. No one
seeing this bird for the first time, thus diving like a grebe and flying
in a straight line by the rapid movement of its short wings like an auk,
would be willing to believe that it was a member of the family of
petrels;—the greater number of which are eminently pelagic in their
habits, do not dive, and whose flight is usually most graceful and
continuous. I observed at Port Famine, that these birds, in the evening,
sometimes flew in straight-lines from one part of the sound to another;
but during the day, they scarcely ever, I believe, take wing, if
undisturbed. They are not very wild: if they had been so, from their
habit of diving and flying, it would have been extremely difficult to
have procured a specimen. The legs of this bird are of a “flax-flower
blue.”
2. PELECANOIDES GARNOTII. _G. R. Gray._
Puffinuria Garnotii, _Less._ Voy. de l’Coqu. pl. 46.
Procellaria urinatrix, _Gm._ ?
My specimen was obtained at Iquique (lat. 20° 12′), on the coast of
Peru. M. Lesson, who first described this species, says (Manuel
d’Ornithologie, vol. ii. p. 394.), “Le _puffinure de Garnot_ habite par
grandes troupes le long des côtes du Pérou. Il vole médiocrement bien,
d’une manière précipitée et en rasant la mer; mais il préfère se tenir
en repos sur la surface des eaux, et plonge très frequemment à la
manière des grèbes, sans doute pour saisir les petits poissons qui
forment sa pâture.” An anatomical description of this bird is there
given.
1. PROCELLARIA GIGANTEA. _Gmel._
This bird, which is called by the English, “Nelly,” and by the
Spaniards, “Quebranta-huesos,” (properly an osprey,) is common in the
southern latitudes of South America. It frequents both the inland
sounds, and the open ocean far from the coast. It often settles and
rests on the water. The Nelly, in its flight and general appearance on
the wing, has many points of resemblance with the Albatross; but, as in
the case of that bird, it is in vain to attempt observing on what it
feeds; both seem to hunt the waters for days together, in sweeping
circles, with no success. In the stomach, however, of one which I
opened, there was the beak of a large cuttle-fish. The Nelly, moreover,
is a bird of prey: it was observed at Port St. Antonio, by some of the
officers of the Beagle, to kill a diver. The latter tried to escape,
both by diving and flying, but was continually struck down, and at last
was killed by a blow on its head. At Port St. Julian, also, these great
petrels were seen killing and devouring young gulls. The Nelly breeds on
several of the small islands off the coast of Patagonia; for instance,
Sea-Lion Island, in the mouth of the Santa Cruz. Most other species of
the family retire for the purpose of breeding to the Antarctic Islands.
I have often observed in the southern seas, a bird similar in every
respect to the Nelly, excepting in its plumage, being of a much more
intense black, and its bill rather whiter. I procured a specimen thus
coloured, at Port Famine, and had concluded that it was a distinct
species, until Mr. Low, (an excellent practical observer, long
acquainted during his sealing voyages with the productions of these
seas,) assured me that he positively knew, that these black varieties
were the one-year-old birds of the common greyish black Nelly.
2. PROCELLARIA GLACIALOÏDES. _A. Smith._
Procellaria glacialoïdes, _A. Smith_, Illust. of Zool. of S. Africa,
Aves, pl. 51.
I saw this petrel on both sides of the Continent south of lat. 30°; but
seldom more than two or three together. I am informed that it arrives in
Georgia in September for the purpose of breeding, and that it lays its
eggs in holes in the precipices overhanging the sea. On the approach of
winter it is said to retire from that island. My specimen was caught in
the Bay of St. Mathias (lat. 43° S.) by a line and bent pin, baited with
a small piece of pork; the same means by which the Pintado (_Dapt.
Capensis_)is so easily caught. It is a tame, sociable, and silent bird;
and often settles on the water: when thus resting it might from a
distance be mistaken, owing to the general colour of its plumage, for a
gull. One or two often approached close to the stern of the Beagle, and
mingled with the Pintados, the constant attendants on vessels traversing
these southern seas.
DAPTION CAPENSIS. _Steph._
Procellaria Capensis, _Linn._ Syst. i. 213.
This petrel is extremely numerous over the whole southern ocean, south
of the Tropic of Capricorn. On the coast, however, of Peru, I saw them
in lat. from 16° to 17° S., which is considerably farther north than
they are found on the shores of Brazil. Cook, in sailing south in the
meridian of New Zealand, first met this bird in lat. 43° 30′. The
Pintados slightly differ in some of their habits from the rest of their
congeners, but, perhaps, approach in this respect nearest to _P.
glacialoïdes_. They are very tame and sociable, and follow vessels
navigating these seas for many days together: when the ship is becalmed,
or is moving slowly, they often alight on the surface of the water, and
in doing this they expand their tails like a fan. I think they always
take their food, when thus swimming. When offal is thrown overboard,
they frequently dive to the depth of a foot or two. They are very apt to
quarrel over their food, and they then utter many harsh but not loud
cries. Their flight is not rapid, but extremely elegant; and as these
prettily mottled birds skim the surface of the water in graceful curves,
constantly following the vessel as she drives onward in her course, they
afford a spectacle which is beheld by every one with interest. Although
often spending the whole day on the wing, yet on a fine moonlight night,
I have repeatedly seen these birds following the wake of the vessel,
with their usual graceful evolutions. I am informed that the Pintado
arrives in Georgia for the purpose of breeding, and leaves it, at the
same time with the _P. glacialoïdes_. The sealers do not know any other
island in the Antarctic ocean excepting Georgia, where these two birds
(as well as the _Thalassidroma oceanica_) resort to breed.
THALASSIDROMA OCEANICA. _Bonap._
Thalassidroma oceanica, _Bonap._ Journ. Acad. Nat. Scien., Philadelphia,
vol. iii. p. 233.
Procellaria oceanica, _Forster_.
Pétrel échasse. _Temm._
I obtained this bird at Maldonado, near the mouth of the Plata, where it
was blown on shore by a gale of wind. These birds, although seeming to
prefer on most occasions the open ocean, and to be most active, walking
with their wings expanded on the crest of the waves, when the gale is
heaviest, yet sometimes visit quiet harbours, in considerable numbers.
At Bahia Blanca I saw many, when there was nothing in the weather to
explain their appearance. I was informed by a sealer, that they build in
holes on the sea cliffs of Georgia, where they arrive very regularly in
the month of September. No other place is known to be frequented by them
for the purpose of breeding.
PRION VITTATUS. _Cuv._
Procellaria Vittata, _Gmelin._ Syst. i. 560.
I did not procure a specimen of this bird, although I saw numbers on
both sides of the Continent from about lat. 35° S. to Cape Horn. It is a
wild solitary bird, appears always to be on the wing: flight extremely
rapid. Mr. Stokes (Assistant surveyor of the Beagle) informs me that
they build in great numbers on Landfall Island, on the west coast of
Tierra del Fuego. Their burrows are about a yard deep: they are
excavated on the hill-sides, at a distance even of half a mile from the
sea shore. If a person stamps on the ground over their nests, many fly
out of the same hole. Mr. Stokes says the eggs are white, elongated, and
of the size of those of a pigeon.
1. LARUS FULIGINOSUS. _Gould._
_L. Mas. corpore toto obscurè plumbeo-griseo, tegminibus caudæ
superioribus inferioribusque pallidioribus; rostro basi rubro, apice
nigro; pedibus nigris._
Long. tot. 16½ unc.; _alæ_, 13½: _caudæ_, 6; _tarsi_, 2⅛; _rostri_ 2⅜.
The whole of the plumage deep leaden grey; the upper and under tail
coverts being lightest; bill red at the base, black at the tip; feet
black.
Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago (_October_).
This species of gull has many characters in common with the _Larus
hæmatorhynchus_ of King, from the continent of S. America; but may at
once be distinguished from it by the general extreme duskiness of its
plumage, feet, tarsi, and bill; and by the more elongated form of the
latter. My specimen was killed at James Island. I observed nothing
particular in its habits. It is the only species of gull frequenting
this Archipelago.
2. LARUS HÆMATORHYNCHUS. _King._
Larus hæmatorhynchus, _King_, Zool. Journ. iv. 103.
—— _Jard. & Selb._ Ill. Orn. p. 106.
This bird was killed at Port St. Julian on the coast of Patagonia. Beak
(when fresh killed) of a pale “arterial blood red,” legs “vermilion
red.”
3. LARUS DOMINICANUS. _Licht._
Larus dominicanus, _Licht._ Cat. 82. sp. 846.
Grande Mouette, _Azara_, No. 409.
This gull abounds in flocks on the Pampas, sometimes even as much as
fifty and sixty miles inland. Near Buenos Ayres, and at Bahia Blanca, it
attends the slaughtering-houses, and feeds, together with the Polybori
and Cathartes, on the garbage and offal. The noise which it utters is
very like that of the common English gull (_Larus canus_, Linn.)
XEMA (CHROICOCEPHALUS) CIRROCEPHALUM. _G. R. Gray._
Larus cirrocephalus, _Vieill._ Nov. Dict. d’Histoire, 21. p. 502.
Larus maculipennis, _Licht._ Cat. 83. sp. 855.
Larus glaucodes, _Meyen_, Nov. Act. 1839, p. 115. pl. 24.
Mouette cendréc, _Azara_, No. 410.
This species so closely resembles the _Xema ridibundum_, Boie, that Mr.
Gould observes, he should have hardly ventured to have characterized it
as distinct; but as M. Vieillot and Meyen have deemed this necessary, he
adopts their view. I have compared a suite of specimens, which I
procured from the Rio Plata, the coast of Patagonia, and the Straits of
Magellan, with several specimens of the _Xema ridibundum_; the only
difference which appears to me constant, is that the primaries of the
_X. cirrocephalum_, in the adult winter plumage, both of male and
female, are tipped with a white spot (a character common to some other
species), whereas in the _X. ridibundum_ the points are black. The beak
of the latter species, especially the lower mandible, is also a little
less strong, or high in proportion to its length. In the immature stage,
I could perceive no difference whatever in the plumage of these birds.
The proportional quantity of black and white in the primaries, given by
Meyen as the essential character, varies in the different states of
plumage. The specimens described by this author were procured from
Chile.[30] The soles of the feet of my specimens were coloured, deep
“reddish orange,” and the bill dull “arterial blood red” of Werner’s
nomenclature.
In the plains south of Buenos Ayres I saw some of these birds far
inland, and I was told that they bred in the marshes. It is well known
that the blackheaded gull (_Xema ridibundum_), which we have seen comes
so near the _X. cirrocephalum_, frequents the inland marshes to breed.
It appears to me a very interesting circumstance thus to find birds of
two closely allied species preserving the same peculiarities of habits
in Europe and in the wide plains of S. America. Near Buenos Ayres this
gull as well as the _L. dominicanus_ sometimes attends the
slaughter-houses to pick up bits of meat.
RHYNCHOPS NIGRA. _Linn._
I saw this bird both on the East and West coast of South America,
between latitudes 30° and 45°. It frequents either fresh or salt water.
Near Maldonado (in May), on the borders of a lake, which had been nearly
drained, and which in consequence swarmed with small fry, I watched many
of these birds flying backwards and forwards for hours together, close
to its surface. They kept their bills wide open, and with the lower
mandible half buried in the water. Thus skimming the surface, generally
in small flocks, they ploughed it in their course; the water was quite
smooth, and it formed a most curious spectacle, to behold a flock, each
bird leaving its narrow wake on the mirror-like surface. In their flight
they often twisted about with extreme rapidity, and so dexterously
managed, that they ploughed up small fish with their projecting lower
mandibles, and secured them with the upper half of their scissor-like
bills. This fact I repeatedly witnessed, as, like swallows, they
continued to fly backwards and forwards, close before me. Occasionally,
when leaving the surface of the water, their flight was wild, irregular,
and rapid; they then also uttered loud harsh cries. When these birds
were seen fishing, it was obvious that the length of the primary
feathers was quite necessary in order to keep their wings dry. When thus
employed, their forms resembled the symbol, by which many artists
represent marine birds. The tail is much used in steering their
irregular course.
These birds are common far inland, along the course of the Rio Parana;
and it is said they remain there during the whole year, and that they
breed in the marshes. During the day they rest in flocks on the grassy
plains, at some distance from the water. Being at anchor in a small
vessel, in one of the deep creeks between the islands in the Parana, as
the evening drew to a close, one of these scissor-beaks suddenly
appeared. The water was quite still, and many little fish were rising.
The bird continued for a long time to skim the surface; flying in its
wild and irregular manner up and down the narrow canal, now dark with
the growing night and the shadows of the overhanging trees. At Monte
Video, I observed that large flocks remained during the day on the mud
banks, at the head of the harbour; in the same manner as those which I
observed on the grassy plains near the Parana. Every evening they took
flight in a straight line seaward. From these facts, 1 suspect, that the
Rhynchops frequently fishes by night, at which time, many of the lower
animals come more abundantly to the surface than during the day. I was
led by these facts to speculate on the possibility of the bill of the
Rhynchops, which is so pliable, being a delicate organ of touch. But Mr.
Owen, who was kind enough to examine the head of one, which I brought
home in spirits, writes to me, (August 7, 1837,) that—
“The result of the dissection of the head of the _Rhynchops_,
comparatively with that of the head of the duck, is not what you
anticipated. The facial, or sensitive branches of the fifth pair of
nerves, are very small; the third division in particular, is
filamentary, and I have not been able to trace it beyond the soft
integument at the angles of the mouth. After removing with care, the
thin horny covering of the beak, I cannot perceive any trace of those
nervous expansions which are so remarkable in the lamelli-rostral
aquatic birds; and which in them supply the tooth-like process, and soft
marginal covering of the mandibles. Nevertheless, when we remember how
sensitive a hair is, through the nerve situated at its base, though
without any in its substance, it would not be safe to deny altogether, a
sensitive faculty in the beak of the Rhynchops.”
M. Lesson (Manuel d’Ornithologie, vol. ii. p. 385.) has stated, that he
has seen these birds opening the shells of the Mactræ, buried in the
sandbanks on the coast of Chile. From their weak bills, with the lower
mandible so much produced, their short legs and long wings, it seems
very improbable that this can be a general habit, although it may
sometimes be resorted to. Wilson, who was well acquainted with this
bird, does not believe “the report of its frequenting oyster beds, and
feeding on these fish.” The existence, however, of this same report in
the United States, makes the question, whether the Rhynchops does not
sometimes turn the peculiar structure of its beak to this purpose,
worthy of further investigation.
VIRALVA ARANEA. _G. R. Gray._
Sterna aranea, _Wils._ Am. Orn. pl. 72. f. 6.
My specimen was procured at Bahia Blanca, in Northern Patagonia. I may
here observe, that many navigators have supposed that terns, when met
with out at sea, are a sure indication of land. But these birds seem not
unfrequently to be lost in the open ocean; thus one (_Megalopterus
stolidus_) flew on board the Beagle in the Pacific, when several hundred
miles from the Galapagos Archipelago. No doubt, the remark made by
navigators, with respect to the proximity of land where terns are seen,
refers to birds in a flock, fishing, or otherwise showing that they are
familiar with that part of the sea. I, therefore, more particularly
mention, that off the mouth of the Rio Negro, on the Patagonian shore, I
saw a flock (probably the _Viralva aranea_) fishing seventy miles from
land: and off the coast of Brazil a flock of another species, 120 from
the nearest part of the coast. The latter birds were in numbers, and
were busily engaged in dashing at their prey.
MEGALOPTERUS STOLIDUS. _Boie._
Sterna stolida, _Linn._ Syst. i. 227.
My specimens were procured from the Galapagos Archipelago. It is well
known to be an inhabitant of the seas in the warmer latitudes over the
whole world. The Rocks of St. Paul’s, nearly under the equator, in the
Atlantic ocean, were almost covered with the rude and simple nests of
this bird, made with a few pieces of sea-weed. The females were sitting
upon their eggs (in February), and by the side of many of their nests,
parts of flying-fish were placed, I suppose, by the male bird for his
partner to feed on during the labour of incubation.
PHALACROCORAX CARUNCULATUS. _Stephens._
Phalacrocorax carunculatus, _Steph._ Gen. Zool.
Pelecanus carunculatus, _Gm._ Syst. i. 576.
Phalacrocorax imperialis, _King_, Zool. Proc. vol. i. pt. 1. 30.
I procured a specimen of this bird at Port St. Julian, on the coast of
Patagonia, where, during January, many were building. I merely mention
it here, for the purpose of describing the singularly bright colours of
the naked skin about its head. Skin round the eyes “campanula blue;”
cockles at the base of the upper mandible, “saffron mixed with gamboge
yellow.” Marks between the eye and the corner of the mouth, “orpiment
orange;” tarsi scarlet.
FREGATA AQUILA. _Cuv._
Pelecanus Aquilus, _Linn._
I had an opportunity, at the Galapagos Archipelago, of watching, on
several occasions, the habits of this bird, which are very interesting
in relation to its peculiar structure. The Frigate bird, when it sees
any object on the surface of the water, descends from a great height, in
an inclined plane, head foremost, with the swiftness of an arrow; and at
the instant of seizing with its long beak and outstretched neck, the
floating morsel, it turns upwards, with extraordinary dexterity, by the
aid of its forked tail, and long, powerful wings. It never touches the
water with its wings, or even with its feet; indeed I have never heard
of one having been seen on the surface of the sea; and it appears that
the deeply indented web between its toes is of no more use to it, than
are the shrivelled wings beneath the wing cases of some coleopterous
beetles. The Frigate bird has a noble appearance when seen soaring in a
flock at a stupendous height (at which time it merits the name of the
Condor of the ocean), or when many together are dashing, in complicated
evolutions, but with the most admirable skill, at the same floating
object. They seem to scorn to take their food quietly, for between each
descent they raise themselves on high, and descend again with a swift
and true aim. If the object (such as offal thrown overboard) sink more
than six or eight inches beneath the surface, it is lost to the Frigate
bird. I was informed at Ascension, that when the little turtles break
through their shells, and run to the water’s edge, these birds attend in
numbers, and pick up the little animals (being thus very injurious to
the turtle fishery) off the sand, in the same manner as they would from
the sea.
APPENDIX.
Anatomical description of _Serpophaga albo-coronata_, _Furnarius
cunicularius_, _Uppucerthia dumetoria_, _Opetiorhynchus vulgaris_,
_O. antarcticus_, _O. Patagonicus_, _Pteroptochos Tarnii_, _P.
albicollis_, _Synallaxis maluroides_, _Phytotoma rara_, _Trochilus
gigas_, _Tinochorus rumicivorus_.[31]
BY T. C. EYTON, ESQ., F.L.S., &c.
SERPOPHAGA ALBO-CORONATA. _Gould._ (Male.)
Tongue pointed, furnished with a few short bristles at the sides near
the base. Trachea with the same muscles as among the warblers
generally. Æsophagus slightly funnel-shaped; proventriculus much
expanded at its entrance into the gizzard, which is rounded, not
very muscular, inner coat slightly hardened, smooth. Intestine of
moderate size, furnished with two rudimentary cæca.
Inches
Length of œsophagus, including proventriculus 1
of gizzard ⅜
Breadth of ditto ⁵⁄₁₆
Length of intestine from gizzard to cloaca 3¼
from cæca to cloaca 3¼
The skeleton of this bird is precisely that of the smaller and weaker
species of Laniadæ.
lines
Length of sternum 5
Breadth anteriorly 3
posteriorly 4¼
Width of fissures 1
Depth of ditto 1½
Depth of keel 2
Length of pelvis 5½
Width anteriorly 2½
posteriorly 5½
Length from occiput to point of bill 12
Breadth of head 5¾
Length of coracoids 4½
No of cervical vertebræ 11
dorsal ditto 7
sacral ditto 9
caudal ditto 6
——
Total 33
——
No. of false ribs 1 1?
true ditto 5
————
Total 7
————
FURNARIUS CUNICULARIUS. _G. R. Gray._ (Male.)
Tongue, trachea, and œsophagus, as in _Uppucerthia_. Proventriculus
longer, and slightly contracted at its entrance into the gizzard,
which is large, flattened, and muscular, more rounded than in
_Opetiorhynchus_, lined with a rugose hardened coat, and filled with
small seeds, and the remains of insects; intestines of small
diameter, and furnished with two rudimentary cæca.
Inches
Length of œsophagus, including proventriculus 1¾
of gizzard ¾
Breadth of ditto ⅝
Length from gizzard to cæca 5
cæca to cloaca 1½
Sternum of nearly equal breadth, both posteriorly and anteriorly, but
much narrowed in the middle, the portion to which the ribs are
attached much elongated beyond their junction; posterior margin
furnished with two deep fissures, slightly narrowed at their exit;
keel deep, slightly rounded on its inferior edge, and much scolloped
out anteriorly; pelvis broad and short, the os pubis projecting far
backwards; the ischium terminating posteriorly in an acute process.
Os furcatum thin, much arched, furnished with a flattened reflexed
process at its junction with the sternum; the points of the rami
bent forwards at their junction with the coracoids.
Coracoids of moderate size and length, inserted deeply into the
sternum; scapula of moderate size, broader near the extremity.
lines
Length of sternum 11
Breadth anteriorly 6¼
posteriorly 8¼
Depth of keel 4½
Length of pelvis 12
Width anteriorly 4½
posteriorly 11
Length from occiput to point of bill 19
Breadth of cranium 7½
Length of coracoids 8
No. of cervical vertebræ 12
dorsal ditto 7
sacral ditto 10
caudal ditto 7
———
Total 36
———
No. of true ribs 5
false ditto 2·1
———
Total 8
UPPUCERTHIA DUMETORIA. _Geoff. & D’Orb._ (Female.)
Tongue short, compared with the length of the bill, pointed, armed
with a few spines at the base; trachea of moderate size, acted upon
by one pair of sterno-tracheal muscles, which go off to the sternum,
about ⅛ of an inch above the inferior larynx; from the upper ring of
the bronchiæ on each side, a process proceeds upwards to the point
from which the muscles diverge, to which point only the rings of the
trachea are continued, two spaces therefore, one on the anterior,
the other on the posterior side of the trachea, immediately above
the bronchiæ, are left devoid of osseous matter, being bounded
laterally by the process above mentioned, inferiorly by the upper
rings of the bronchiæ, and superiorly by the lower ring of the
trachea, which is slightly enlarged; œsophagus small, slightly
dilated a little above the proventriculus, which is of moderate
size, and not contracted before entering the gizzard; gizzard large,
oval, very muscular, inner coat hardened, deeply furrowed
longitudinally, and filled with the remains of insects; intestinal
canal of moderate size, without cæca; rectum very slightly enlarged;
liver bilobed.
Inches
Length of œsophagus, including proventiculus 2
of gizzard ¾
Breadth of ditto ½
Length of intestinal canal 10
With the exception of being larger than _Furnarius cunicularius_, and in
having the bill more bent and longer, the skeleton presents no material
difference from that of the above-named bird.
lines
Length of sternum 13
Breadth anteriorly 6
posteriorly 7¼
Depth of keel 4
of fissures 4
Breadth of ditto 1
Length of pelvis 14¼
Breadth anteriorly 4
posteriorly 9¼
Length from occiput to point of bill 27
Breadth of cranium 8
Length of coracoids 11
No. of cervical vertebræ 11
dorsal ditto 7
sacral ditto 11
caudal ditto 6
———
Total 35
No. of true ribs 5
false ditto 2·1
———
Total 8
OPETIORHYNCHUS VULGARIS. _Gray._ (Male.)
The structure of the soft parts, both in this species of
_Opetiorhynchus_, and the two following ones, so closely resemble that
of _Furnarius_ and _Uppucerthia_, that one description will almost serve
for the whole; those differences that do exist being not more than are
generally found in species of the same genus; the external characters
also being slight, I cannot but doubt the propriety of separating them;
the cæca are slightly developed in this species, measuring ⅛ inch in
length.
Inches
Length of œsophagus, proventriculus included 2½
of gizzard ⁶⁄₈
Breadth of ditto ½
Length of intestinal canal from gizzard to the cloaca 7½
from cæca to cloaca ⅞
Skeleton similar in form to that of _Furnarius cunicularius_.
lines
Length of sternum 11¾
Breadth anteriorly 5¼
posteriorly 7½
Depth of keel 3¾
of fissures 5
Breadth of ditto 1½
Length of pelvis 12²⁄₄
Breadth anteriorly 4
posteriorly 9¾
Length from occiput to point of bill 17
Breadth of cranium 7
Length of coracoids 8½
No. of cervical vertebræ 11
dorsal ditto 7
sacral ditto 11
caudal ditto 7
————
Total 36
No. of true ribs 5
false ditto 2·1
————
Total 8
OPETIORHYNCHUS ANTARCTICUS. _G. R. Gray._ (Male.)
Structure of the soft parts as in _O. vulgaris_, but with the rectum of
rather larger diameter, and the cæca very minute; gizzard filled with
the remains of insects.
Inches
Length of œsophagus, including proventriculus 2¼
gizzard ⁶⁄₈
Breadth of gizzard ½
Length of intestinal canal from gizzard to cloaca 7
Skeleton similar in form to _Furnarius cunicularius_, and the other
species of this genus.
lines
Length of sternum 11
Breadth anteriorly 6
posteriorly 7½
Depth of keel 4¾
of fissures 4
Breadth of ditto 1¾
Length of pelvis 12
Breadth anteriorly 3¾
posteriorly 10½
Length from occiput to point of bill 18
Breadth of cranium 7½
Length of coracoids 9
No. of cervical vertebræ 11
dorsal ditto 7
sacral ditto 12
caudal ditto 7
———
Total 37
No. of true ribs 5
false ditto 2·1
———
Total 8
OPETIORHYNCHUS PATAGONICUS. _G. R. Gray._ (Male.)
No difference in the structure of the soft parts from the other
species of the genus before spoken of. The trachea, however, does
not differ from the ordinary simple form found in most birds, but
differs from _O. vulgaris_ and _O. antarcticus_, in having the lower
rings continued to the bronchiæ it is acted upon by one pair of
muscles; no cæca are apparent.
Inches
Length of œsophagus, including proventriculus 2⅛
gizzard ½
Breadth of gizzard ⅜
Length of cutis from gizzard to cloaca 5½
Skeleton in form similar to that of _Furnarius cunicularius_, and the
other species of this genus.
lines
Length of sternum 13
Breadth anteriorly 6½
posteriorly 8½
Depth of keel 5
fissures 4
Breadth of ditto 1½
Length of pelvis 13½
Breadth anteriorly 5
posteriorly 10½
Length from occiput to point of bill 19
Breadth of cranium 8
Length of coracoids 10
No. of cervical vertebræ 11
dorsal ditto 7
sacral ditto 9
caudal ditto 6
———
Total 33
———
No. of true ribs 5
false ditto 2·1
———
Total 8
Remarks:—the last five species approach so nearly, that I doubt the
propriety of separating them generically. The skeletons are only
distinguishable with the exception of the form of the bill, by the
proportions between the different admeasurements.
PTEROPTOCHOS TARNII. _G. R. Gray._ (Female.)
Tongue pointed, armed with two strong lateral spines, and a few
intermediate smaller ones at the base; œsophagus largest at the
upper extremity, and gradually becoming smaller towards the
proventriculus; no vestige of a craw; proventriculus of moderate
size, not much contracted towards the gizzard, which is also of
moderate size, and much flattened; not very muscular, and lined with
a hardened coat, rugose longitudinally; the gizzard was filled with
small pebbles, and a coarse black powder, probably the remains of
insects; intestinal canal small; cæca rudimental; rectum large,
becoming more expanded towards the cloaca, which is also large;
trachea of equal diameter throughout, furnished with one pair of
sterno-tracheal muscles, a portion of each of which is continued
downwards to the upper rings of the bronchiæ, on which it expands;
liver two-lobed.
Inches
Length of œsophagus, including proventriculus 3½
of intestinal canal, from gizzard to cloaca 18
of rectum 2¼
Diameter of gizzard ⁹⁄₁₀
Length of ditto 1
The pelvis and ribs of this bird were much damaged; sternum of equal
breadth posteriorly and anteriorly, slightly contracted on its
lateral edge, near the middle indented on its posterior margin with
four deep fissures, the outer ones largest; a large triangular
process projecting forwards between the junctions of the coracoids,
bifid at the apex; the coracoids themselves very strongly
articulated to the sternum, the sides of the sternum to which the
ribs are articulated projecting in the form of a process far beyond
the junction of the coracoids; the sternal keel is narrow, and has
its edge straight; the coracoids are long, thin, with very slight
external lateral processes at their junction with the sternum; os
furcatum very thin, roundish, a very slight process on the point at
which it approaches nearest to the sternum, very slightly arched.
Scapula broad, flattened, much widened at about one-third of its
length from the hinder extremity; wing bones short, and weak; leg
bones long, and strong; the fibula much developed.
lines
Length of sternum 15
Greatest breadth of sternum 9½
Breadth at the narrowest part 7
Width of external fissure 1½
Depth of ditto 6
Width of internal ditto 1¼
Depth of ditto 6½
Depth of keel 3
Length from occiput to point of bill 22¼
Breadth of cranium 10½
Length of coracoids 11
Breadth of scapula in the broadest part 2
Cervical vertebræ 12
Dorsal ditto 6
Sacral, damaged.
Caudal, damaged.
PTEROTOCHOS ALBICOLLIS. _Kittl._ (Male.)
Trachea, tongue, œsophagus, gizzard, and liver of the same form as in
_Pterotochos Tarnii_. The contents of the gizzard also did not
differ.
Inches
Length of intestinal canal 14½
from cæca to cloaca 2½
Length of gizzard ¾
Breadth of ditto ⅝
Only the body, after skinning, of the species, was brought home by Mr.
Darwin.
The skeleton of this species does not differ in anything but
admeasurements from that of _Pterotochos Tarnii_; the pelvis, however,
being so much damaged in that species, that I was not able to make many
notes upon it, I shall give a description of that part in the present
one.
Pelvis of moderate size; the ossa pubis and ischium much expanded, and
elongated posteriorly, and placed nearly perpendicular to the plane
of the ilium, ischiatic foramina large; two large processes arise on
the ilium on each side of the junction of the caudal vertebræ for
the attachment of the levator muscles of the tail.
lines
Length of pelvis 14
Breadth posteriorly 8½
anteriorly 4
Length of sternum 9½
Breadth of ditto 7
In the narrowest part 5½
Depth of keel 2½
Length of coracoids 7½
Breadth of scapula in the widest part 1
No. of cervical vertebræ, wanting.
dorsal ditto, wanting.
sacral ditto 9
caudal ditto, wanting.
Remarks:—Both this and the foregoing bird are most curious; it is
difficult to say in what order they ought to be placed, the external
form being equally ambiguous with the internal structure.
The digestive organs nearly agree with that of many insessorial birds;
the pelvis also approaches nearly in form to that of the thrush; the
sternum, however, differs altogether from any form found in that order,
and is precisely that of a _Picus_. The coracoids are lengthened; the os
furcatum is furnished with only a slight process where it approaches the
sternum, in which particulars, also in the form of the ribs, it agrees
with the _Picidæ_.
Having found the internal structure so curious, and so contrary to what
I expected, I was led to examine the external more minutely than I had
before done. The same form of claw is found in several species among the
cuckoos, in the genus _Pelophilus_, for instance; the two outer toes are
zygodactyle, being united together as far as the first joint; the bill,
at first sight, might be taken for that of a gallinaceous bird; but in
searching among the order _Scansores_, for some resemblance, I find the
same structure in several of the cuckoo family, with the exception of
the nostrils being nearer to the apex of the bill in _Pterotochos_. The
Australian genus _Menura_ is, probably, allied to this, but differs in
the structure of the nostrils.[32]
SYNALLAXIS MALUROIDES. _D’Orb._ (Female.)
Tongue pointed, furnished at the base with two strong spines, the
sides of which are armed with smaller ones; trachea, œsophagus, and
proventriculus as in _Furnarius_ and _Uppucerthia_; gizzard rounded,
not very muscular, lined with a slightly hardened smooth coat, and
filled with the remains of insects; intestinal canal of moderate
size and length, furnished with two rudimentary cæca.
Inches
Length of œsophagus and proventriculus 1⅛
gizzard ⅜
Breadth of ditto ⁵⁄₁₆
Length of intestinal canal from gizzard to cloaca 4¾
from cæca to cloaca ¾
The parts of the skeleton of this bird which I was able to preserve,
were more closely allied to the corresponding ones of Troglodytes than
to those of any other genus in my possession, but differ in the
following particulars: the lateral processes of the sternum bounding the
posterior fissures are not so much expanded, consequently the fissures
themselves are smaller; the keel is rather deeper; the portion to which
the ribs are attached does not project so far forwards, but the process
between the coracoids is rather longer; the interocular portion of the
cranium is also rather broader than in the above mentioned genus; the
pelvis, coracoids, and scapula agree both in shape and size with
Troglodytes.
lines
Length of sternum 6¼
Breadth anteriorly 4
posteriorly 4½
Greatest width of fissures ¾
Depth of ditto 2½
Length of occiput to point of bill 14¾
Breadth of cranium 5¾
Length of pelvis 9
Breadth of ditto posteriorly 5
anteriorly 1¾
No. of cervical vertebræ 12
PHYTOTOMA RARA. _Molina._
This bird being injured about the sexual organs, I could not ascertain
the sex. Tongue pointed, armed at the base on each side with a
flattened tricuspid spine; trachea small, of uniform diameter
throughout its whole length, acted upon by one pair of
sterno-tracheal muscles; œsophagus funnel-shaped at the upper
extremity, when distended capable of containing a common pencil, at
its junction with the proventriculus much smaller; proventriculus
scarcely perceptible; gizzard small, consisting of little more than
a thick skin, inner coat hardened; the entrance of the œsophagus,
and the exit of the intestine placed very near together at the upper
extremity of it; intestinal canal very short, and of large diameter,
entirely devoid of cæca; the whole length with the gizzard and
œsophagus distended with a stringy substance, resembling coarse spun
cotton cut into short lengths.
Inches
Length of œsophagus, including proventriculus 3
of intestinal canal 7½
Length of gizzard ⅝
Breadth of ditto ½
Sternum of nearly equal breadth, both posteriorly and anteriorly, much
narrowed near the middle; posterior margin nearly straight, indented
with two large fissures, narrowed at their exit; between the
junctions of the coracoids furnished with a bifid process; the
portion of the sternum to which the ribs are attached, continued
anteriorly beyond the junction of the coracoids; keel of moderate
size; coracoids long, not very strong; os furcatum long, slightly
arched, furnished with a flattened process, turned inwards at the
point it approaches the sternum.
Pelvis broad, and short, narrowest anteriorly, the os pubis and
ischium continued far backwards, beyond the junction of the caudal
vertebræ; ribs strong, and flattened; posterior process large;
scapula long, broadest near the extremity; legs of moderate
strength, the internal processes of the tibia large, and flattened;
bones of the cranium strong.
lines
Length of sternum 12½
Breadth anteriorly 6½
posteriorly 9¼
Width of fissures 1½
Depth of ditto 4
keel 4¾
Length of pelvis 13½
Width anteriorly 5
posteriorly 11
Length from occiput to point of bill 16
Breadth of head 8
Length of coracoids 9
No. of cervical vertebræ 11
dorsal ditto 7
sacral ditto 10
caudal ditto 7
———
Total 35
No. of true ribs 5
false ribs 2·1
———
Total 8
Remarks:—The skeleton and soft parts of this bird very nearly resemble
those of the genus _Loxia_, but differ in their superior size, in having
the fissures on the posterior margin of the sternum not so deep, and in
the margin itself being straighter, the coracoids larger, and in having
the process at the end of the os furcatum approaching the sternum
smaller than in that genus. The ribs also are stronger.
TROCHILUS GIGAS. _Vieill._ (Male.)
Tongue bifid, each division pointed; hyoids very long, in their
position resembling those in the _Picidæ_; trachea of uniform
diameter; destitute of muscles of voice; bronchia very long;
œsophagus funnel-shaped, slightly contracted on approaching the
proventriculus, which is small, and scarcely perceptible; gizzard
small, moderately muscular, the inner coat slightly hardened, and
filled with the remains of insects; intestine largest near the
gizzard; I could not perceive a vestige of cæca.
Inches
Length of œsophagus, including proventriculus 1¾
Intestinal canal 3½
Length of gizzard ¼
Breadth of ditto ⅓
Sternum with the keel very deep, its edge rounded, and projecting
anteriorly; posterior margin rounded, and destitute of indentation
or fissure; the ridges to which the pectoral muscles have their
attachment, large and prominent, the horizontal portion much
narrowed anteriorly, consequently the junctions of the coracoids are
very near together.
Pelvis short, very broad; os pubis long, curved upwards at the
extremities, projecting far downwards, and posteriorly beyond the
termination of the caudal vertebræ; the ischiatic foramen small, and
linear; femora placed far backwards; coracoids short, very strong,
their extremities much diverging; os furcatum short, slightly arched
near the extremities of the rami, which are far apart, furnished
with only a small process on its approach to the sternum; scapula
flattened, long, broadest near the extremity; humerus, radius, and
ulna short, the metacarpal bones longer than either; the former
furnished with ridges much elevated for the attachment of the
pectoral muscles; caudal and dorsal vertebræ with the transverse
processes long, and expanded; cranium of moderate strength, the
occipital portion indented with two furrows, which pass over the
vertex, and in which the hyoids lie; orbits large, divided by a
complete bony septum; the lachrymal bones large, causing an
expansion of the bill near the nostrils.
lines
Length of sternum 13¼
Breadth anteriorly 4
posteriorly 7¼
Depth of keel 6¾
Length of pelvis 6¼
Width anteriorly 2½
posteriorly 7
Length from occiput to point of bill 27½
Breath of cranium 6½
Length of coracoids 6
No. of cervical vertebræ 10
dorsal ditto 6
sacral ditto 9
caudal ditto 5
———
Total 30
No. of true ribs 5
false ditto 1·3
———
Total 9
Remarks:—The skeleton of this bird does not differ in form from that of
_Trochilus pella_, figured at page 270 of the Cyclopædia of Anatomy and
Physiology. The whole of the group are more nearly allied to
fissirostral birds than any other.
TINOCHORUS RUMICIVORUS. _Eschsch._ (Male.)
Trachea of uniform diameter, furnished with one pair of
sterno-tracheal muscles, from which a few fibres descend on each
side to the upper rings of the bronchiæ; œsophagus of large diameter
to about half its length, where it is furnished with a craw, and
afterwards contracted to the proventriculus; the craw where it is
connected with the œsophagus is much contracted, afterwards it
expands into a large sac; proventriculus small; gizzard large, and
very muscular; the grinding surfaces hard, concave in the middle,
and furnished with longitudinal grooves in the concave part; the
intestinal canal is of moderate length, small next the gizzard,
largest at the entrance of the cæca, from whence it slightly tapers
to the cloaca, which is small; cæca long, of greatest diameter at
the opposite extremity to their entrance into the rectum; the
gizzard and œsophagus were filled with reeds, mixed with very small
pebbles; liver bilobed.
Length of œsophagus from glottis to gizzard 3 inch.
from œsophagus to outer extremity of craw ¾ inch.
Perpendicular diameter of craw 7 lines
Inches
Greatest diameter of gizzard obliquely to the grinding surfaces 1
Diameter parallel to the grinding surfaces ¾
Length of intestine from gizzard to cloaca 13
from cæca to cloaca 1¾
of cæca 3
A second specimen, a female, did not differ, except in sex. Skeleton
light; bones in general thin.
Sternum broadest posteriorly, and indented on its posterior margin
with two large fissures; keel deep, its inferior edge rounded, much
scolloped out anteriorly; a moderate size bifid manubrial process
between the junction of the coracoids.
Pelvis broad, of moderate length, similar to that found among the
genus _Strepsilas_.
Os furcatum much arched, furnished with a small flattened process,
where the ligament unites it to the sternum; coracoid of moderate
length, strong, furnished with a large process externally near their
junction with the sternum; ribs flattened, posterior process long,
slightly curved, and narrow.
lines
Length of sternum 16
Breadth anteriorly 7
posteriorly 11
Width of fissures 4
Depth of ditto 6
keel 7
Length of pelvis 16½
Width anteriorly 6
posteriorly 12
Length from occiput to point of bill 16
Breadth of head 6½
Length of coracoids 7½
No. of cervical vertebræ 14
dorsal 6
sacral 12
caudal 7
——
Total 39
——
No. of true ribs 6
false ditto 2
——
Total 8
Remarks. The bill of this curious bird much resembles that of the genus
_Glareola_, but the soft skin covering the nostrils is more developed,
in which respect it resembles the quails, and other gallinaceous birds.
The structure of the tarsi, feet, and nails approach near to that of
_Strepsilas_, but differ in the latter being sharper, and in the scales
on the feet and tarsi being more apparent, which may, perhaps, have been
caused to a certain degree by the bird having been for a long while in
spirits.
The wing has precisely the same structure as in _Glareola_, and some of
the plovers.
The tail is more lengthened than among the plovers, but not more so than
in _Glareola praticola_, which species has, however, the tail forked,
but some of the same genus, as the last named bird, although it is not
so long in them, have it in the same shape as in _Tinochorus_,—as
_Glareola Australis_.
The structure of the digestive organs is altogether that of a
gallinaceous bird; the skeleton, however, agrees scarcely in any
particular with that order, approaching closely to that of the waders.
The sternum differs from any gallinaceous bird with which I am
acquainted, in wanting entirely the strong lateral process, and in the
fissures on the posterior margin being much smaller; the nearest
approach in form which I have been able to find, is that of _Machetes_,
from which, if it were not for the superior size of the latter, it could
scarcely be distinguished.
The pelvis agrees so perfectly with that of _Strepsilas interpres_, and
the _Charadriidæ_ in general, as not to require farther remark.
The remainder of the skeleton resembles both the plovers and sandpipers.
I much regret that I have never had an opportunity of dissecting a
specimen of _Glareola_, to which the genus, _Tinochorus_, appears
closely allied, and I believe that they will form a connecting link
between the orders _Grallatores_ and _Razores_.
INDEX TO THE SPECIES.
_N.B._ The Synonyms are in Italics.
_Ada Commersoni_, 51
Agelaius chopi, 107
—— fringillarius, 106
—— _chrysopterus_, 106
—— _virescens_, 107
Aglaia striata, 97
—— vittata, 98
Agriornis, 55
—— gutturalis, 56
—— striatus, 56
—— micropterus, 57
—— maritimus, 57
_Agriornis leucurus_, 57
Alaudinæ, 87
_Alauda cunicularia_, 65
—— _nigra_, 84
—— _rufa_, 84
—— _fulva_, 84
_Albatuitui à collier noir_, 127
_Alcedo torquata_, 42
—— _Americana_, 42
—— _Senegalensis_, 41
Alecturus guirayetupa, 51
_Alouette noire à dos fauve_, 84
—— _à dos rouge_, 84
_Amblyramphus bicolor_, 109
—— ruber, 109
Ammodramus Manimbè, 90
—— _xanthornus_, 90
—— longicaudatus, 90
_Anas Antarctica_, 134
—— _brachytera_, 136
—— _erythrorhyncha_, 135
—— _creccoïdes_, 135
—— _Magellanica_, 134
—— _urophasianus_, 135
—— _Bahamensis_, 135
Anser melanopterus, 134
Anthus furcatus, 85
—— Chii, 85
—— _fulvus_, 84
—— _variegatus_, 84
—— correndera, 85
_Anumbi rouge_, 80
Anumbius ruber, 80
_Aquila pezopora_, 13
—— _megaloptera_, 21
Ardea leuce, 128
—— _Egretta_, 128
—— Herodias, 128
—— _nycticorax_, 128
—— _violacea_, 128
—— _callocephala_, 128
Athene cunicularia, 31
Attagis Gayii, 117
—— Falklandica, 117
_Becassine, 1^e Espece_, 131
_Bec d’argent_, 51
_Bernicla leucoptera_, 134
—— antarctica, 134
_Buteo tricolor_, 26
—— varius, 26
—— ventralis, 26
—— erythronotus, 26
Buteoninæ, 22
Cactornis assimilis, 105
—— scandens, 104
_Caille des Isles Malouines_, 117
Camarhynchus psittaculus, 103
—— crassirostris, 103
Caprimulgidæ, 36
Caprimulgus bifasciatus, 36
—— parvulus, 37
Cathartes aura, 8
—— atratus, 7
—— urubu, 7
_Certhia antarctica_, 67
Certhidea olivacea, 106
_Certhilauda cunicularia_, 65
Ceryle torquata, 42
—— Americana, 42
Charadrius virgininus, 126
—— _marmoratus_, 126
—— _semipalmatus_, 128
—— _bifasciatus_, 127
—— _trifasciatus_, 127
—— _rubecola_, 126
—— _Azaræ_, 127
—— _collaris_, 127
—— _Cayanus_, 127
_Charpentier des champs_, 113
_Chii_, 85
_Chingolo_, 91
Chionis albâ, 118
Chloephaga Magellanica, 134
Chlorospiza xanthogramma, 96
—— melanodera, 95
_Chopi_, 107
Chrysometris campestris, 89
—— Magellanica, 97
Chrysoptilus campestris, 113
_Churrinche_, 44
_Circaëtus antarcticus_, 15
Circinæ, 29
_Circus histrionicus_, 50
—— megaspilus, 29
—— cinereus, 30
_Clignot ou Lichenops_, 51
Coccothraustinæ, 98
Colaptes Chilensis, 114
Columba Fitzroyii, 114
—— _denisea_, 114
—— _araucana_, 114
—— loricata, 115
_Columba gymnopthalmus_, 115
—— _leucoptera_, 115
—— _picazuro_, 115
—— _Talpacoti_, 116
—— _Boliviana_, 116
—— _aurita_, 115
Columbina strepitans, 116
—— talpacoti, 116
—— _Cabocolo_, 116
_Condor_, 3
Conurus murinus, 112
—— Patachonicus, 113
_La Correndera_, 85
_Coturnix Falklandica_, 117
Craxirex Galapagoensis, 23
Crex lateralis, 132
—— _galeata_, 133
—— _melampyga_, 133
Crithagra? brevirostris, 88
—— Brasiliensis, 88
Crotophaga ani, 114
—— Piririqua, 114
_Cryptura Guaza_, 120
_Crypturus rufescens_, 120
—— _perdicarius_, 119
_Cuculus guira_, 114
—— _nævius_, 114
_Culicivora parulus_, 49
_Curruca macloviana_, 83
Cursores, 120
Cyanotis omnicolor, 86
Cyclarhis Guianensis, 58
Cypselus unicolor, 41
Dafila urophasianus, 135
Daption Capensis, 140
Dendrodramus, 82
—— leucosternus, 82
Diplopterus nævius, 114
—— guira, 114
Dolichonyx oryzivorus, 106
_Dragon_, 107
Egretta leuce, 128
_Emberiza melanodera_, 95
—— _carbonaria_, 94
—— _guttata_, 94
—— _Manimbè_, 90
_Emberiza Diuca_, 92
—— _Gayi_, 92
—— _oryivorus_, 106
—— luteoventris, 88
—— _luctuosa_, 94
—— _jacarina_, 92
—— gubernatrix, 88
—— _cristata_, 88
—— _cristatella_, 88
Emberizinæ, 88
Eniberizoides poliocephalus, 98
Eremobius, 69
—— phœnicurus, 69
_Etourneau des terres_, 110
_Euphone jacarina_, 92
Falconidæ, 9
Falconina, 28
_Falco sparverius_, 29
Falco femoralis, 28
—— _degener_, 13
—— _leucurus_, 15
—— _Novæ Zealandiæ_, 15
—— _Australis_, 15
—— _Brasiliensis_, 9
—— _histrionicus_, 50
_Falcunculus Guianensis_, 58
_Figulus albogularis_, 64
Fluvicolinæ, 51
_Fluvicola nengeta_, 54
—— icterophrys, 53
—— Azaræ, 53
—— Irupero, 50
—— _perspicillata_, 53
_Fournier_, 64
Fregata Aquila, 146
Fringilla Gayi, 92
—— carbonaria, 94
—— _campestris_, 89
—— formosa, 92
—— fruticeti, 94
—— _icterica_, 97
—— _Hispaniolensis_, 95
—— _matutina_, 91
—— alaudina, 94
—— _splendens_, 92
—— Diuca, 92
_Fringilla Manimbè_, 90
—— _Magellanica_, 97
—— _luteoventris_, 89
Fringillidæ, 87
Fringillinæ, 90
Fulica galeata, 133
_Furnarius Chilensis_, 67
—— _Lessonii_, 67
—— cunicularius, Anat. Descript. of, 148
—— _fuliginosus_, 67
—— rufus, 64
—— cunicularius, 65
—— _dumetorium_, 66
—— _ruber_, 80
_Gafarron_, 97
Gallinula crassirostris, 133
—— _galeata_, 133
Geospiza magnirostris, 100
—— strenua, 100
—— parvula, 102
—— nebulosa, 101
—— fortis, 101
—— crassirostris, 103
—— dentirostris, 102
—— fuliginosa, 101
—— dubia, 103
Grallatores, 125
_Grande Mouette_, 142
_Grive rousse et noirâtre_, 59
—— _blanche et noirâtre_, 59
_Guirayetupa_, 51
Gyratones, 114
Hæmatopus palliatus, 128
Halcyonidæ, 41
Halcyon erythrorhyncha, 41
_Haliaëtus chimachima_, 13
—— _erythronotus_, 26
—— _chimango_, 14
Hiaticula Azaræ, 127
—— semipalmata, 128
—— trifasciatus, 127
Himantopus nigricollis, 130
Hirundinidæ, 37
_Hirundo purpurea_, 38
—— _concolor_, 39
—— leucopygia, 40
Hirundo frontalis, 40
—— cyanoleuca, 41
_Huppe jaune_, 88
_Hylactes Tarnii_, 70
_Ibis melanops_, 128
—— Ordi, 129
—— _Falcinellus_, 129
_Icterus fringillarius_, 107
—— _niger_, 107
—— _anticus_, 107
—— _maxillaris_, 107
—— _sericeus_, 107
—— _unicolor_, 107
—— _sulcirostris_, 107
_Irupero_, 53
_Ispida torquata_, 42
Laniadæ, 58
_Laniagra Guianensis_, 58
Lanianæ, 58
_Lanius doliatus_, 58
—— _nengeta_, 54
—— _sulphuratus_, 43
Larus fuliginosus, 141
—— hæmatorhynchus, 142
—— dominicanus, 142
—— _cirrocephalus_, 142
—— _maculipennis_, 142
—— _glaucodes_, 142
_Leistes erythrocephala_, 109
—— anticus, 107
_Leptonyx macropus_, 71
—— _Tarnii_, 70
—— _albicollis_, 72
—— _paradoxus_, 73
—— _rubecula_, 73
_Lessonia erythronotus_, 84
Lichenops erythropterus, 52
—— perspicillatus, 51
Limosa Hudsonica, 129
Limnornis, 80
—— rectirostris, 80
—— curvirostris, 81
_Lindo bleu dore et noir_, 97
_Macas cornu_, 137
_Malacorhynchus Chilensis_, 73
_Manimbè_, 90
_Mareca Bahamensis_, 135
_Megalonyx medius_, 72
—— _rufus_, 71
—— _albicollis_, 72
—— _ruficeps_, 70
—— _rubecula_, 73
—— _rufogularis_, 73
Megalopterus stolidus, 145
Melanocorypha cinctura, 87
_Merops rufus_, 64
Micropterus brachypterus, 136
Milvago pezoporos, 13
—— montanus, 19
—— ochrocephalus, 13
—— chimango, 14
—— megalopterus, 21
—— leucurus, 15
—— albogularis, 18
Mimus Patagonicus, 60
—— Orpheus, 60
—— parvulus, 63
—— Thenca, 61
—— _saturninus_, 60
—— melanotis, 62
—— trifasciatus, 62
Molothrus niger, 107
_Motacilla Patagonica_, 67
—— _Gracula_, 67
_Mouette cendrèe_, 142
_Muscicapa psalura_, 51
—— _risoria_, 51
—— _mœsta_, 53
—— _nivea_, 53
—— _parulus_, 49
—— _icterophrys_, 53
—— _pyrope_, 55
—— _polyglotta_, 54
—— _Tyrannus_, 43
—— _vittiger_, 54
Muscicapidæ, 42
_Muscipeta albiceps_, 47
Muscisaxicola brunnea, 84
—— nigra, 84
—— mentalis, 83
—— macloviana, 83
Muscivora Tyrannus, 34
Myiobius parvirostris, 48
—— magnirostris, 48
—— albiceps, 47
—— auriceps, 47
Nothura minor, 119
—— perdicaria, 119
—— major, 119
Numenius Hudsonicus, 129
—— brevirostris, 129
Nycticorax violaceus, 128
—— Americanus, 128
_Œnanthe perspicillata_, 51
_L’Onglet_, 97
_Opetiorhynchus rufus_, 64
—— antarcticus, Anat. Descript. of, 149
—— _lanceolatus_, 68
—— nigrofumosus, 68
—— antarcticus, 67
—— Patagonicus, 67
—— vulgaris, Anat. Descript. of, 149
—— Patagonicus, Anat. Descript. of, 150
—— vulgaris, 66
—— _rupestris_, 67
Oreophilus totanirostris, 125
_Oriolus flavus_, 107
—— _cayennensis_, 106
—— _ruber_, 109
_Ornismya Kingii_, 110
—— _tristis_, 111
_Orpheus Thenca_, 61
—— _melanotis_, 62
—— _trifasciatus_, 62
—— _Patagonicus_, 60
—— _modulator_, 60
—— _parvulus_, 63
—— _calandria_, 60
_Ortyx Falklandica_, 117
Otus Galapagoensis, 32
—— palustris, 33
_Oxyurus ornatus_, 81
—— dorso-maculatus, 82
—— tupinieri, 81
Pachyramphus albescens, 50
—— minimus, 51
Palmipedes, 134
_Parulus ruficeps_, 79
_Passerina discolor_, 107
—— jacarina, 92
—— _guttata_, 94
Passer Hispaniolensis, 95
—— Jagoensis, 95
_Patagon_, 113
_Pattagonian maccaw_, 113
—— _warbler_, 67
Pelecanoides Berardi, 138
—— Garnotii, 139
_Pelecanus carunculatus_, 145
—— _aquilus_, 146
_Pelidna cinclus_, 131
—— _minutilla_, 131
—— Schinzii, 131
_Le Pepoaza proprement dit_, 54
_Pepoaza variegata_, 55
—— _pyrope_, 55
—— _maritima_, 57
—— _gutturalis_, 56
—— _nivea_, 53
_Perdix Falklandica_, 117
_Perruche_, 112
_Perspicilla leucoptera_, 51
_Petit Bout-de-Petun_, 114
_Petrel échasse_, 141
_Phalacrocorax imperialis_, 145
—— carunculatus, 145
_Phalcobœnus montanus_, 19
Philomachus Cayanus, 127
_Phytotoma Bloxami_, 106
—— _rutila_, 106
—— _silens_, 106
—— rara, Anat. Descript. of, 153
—— rara, 106
_Picazuro_, 115
_Picus campestris_, 113
—— _Chilensis_, 114
—— Kingii, 113
—— _melanocephalus_, 113
_Pigeon rougeatre_, 116
Pipilo personata, 98
Pitylus superciliaris, 97
_Platyurus niger_, 74
Podiceps kalipareus, 136
—— Rollandii, 137
—— Chilensis, 137
Pœcilonitta Bahamensis, 135
Polyborinæ, 9
_Polyborus Galapagoensis_, 23
—— _chimango_, 14
—— Brasiliensis, 9
—— _vulgaris_, 9
—— _albogularis_, 18
—— _chimachima_, 13
Porphyrio simplex, 133
Prion vittatus, 141
_Procellaria oceanica_, 141
—— _Capensis_, 140
—— _Berardi_, 138
—— _vittata_, 141
—— _urinatrix_, 139
—— gigantea, 139
—— glacialoïdes, 140
—— _puffinus_, 137
Progne purpurea, 38
—— modesta, 39
_Psarocolius sericeus_, 107
—— _anticus_, 107
—— _chrysopterus_, 106
—— _flaviceps_, 107
_Psittacara Patachonica_, 113
_Psittacus Patagonus_, 113
—— _murinus_, 112
Pteroptochos albicollis, 72
—— albicollis, Anat. Descript. of, 151
—— Tarnii, 70
—— Tarnii, Anat. Descript. of, 150
—— rubecula, 73
—— megapodius, 71
—— paradoxus, 73
_Ptiloleptus cristatus_, 114
_Puffinuria Berardi_, 138
—— _Garnotii_, 139
Puffinus cinereus, 137
Pyrocephalus, 44
—— parvirostris, 44
—— obscurus, 45
—— nanus, 45
—— dubius, 46
_Pyrgita Jagoensis_, 95
Pyrrhalauda nigriceps, 87
Pyrrhulinæ, 88
Querquedula creccoïdes, 135
—— erythrorhyncha, 135
Rallus Philippensis, 133
—— ypecaha, 133
—— sanguinolentus, 133
_Recurvirostra himantopus_, 130
_Regulus omnicolor_, 86
—— _Byronensis_, 86
Rhea Americana, 120
—— Darwinii, 123
Rhinomya lanceolata, 70
Rhynchaspis maculatus, 135
Rhynchæa semicollaris, 131
—— _Hilairea_, 131
—— _occidentalis_, 131
Rhynchops nigra, 143
_Rhynchotus fasciatus_, 120
—— rufescens, 120
Sarcoramphus gryphus, 3
—— _Condor_, 3
Saurophagus sulphuratus, 43
_Sauteur_, 92
Scansores, 112
_Scolopax melanoleuca_, 130
—— _vociferus_, 130
—— Magellanicus, 131
—— _Hudsonica_, 129
—— Paraguaiæ, 131
—— _Brasiliensis_, 131
_Scytalopus fuscus_, 74
—— Magellanicus, 74
Serpophaga, 48
—— parulus, 49
—— nigricans, 50
—— albo-coronata, 49
—— albo-coronata, Anat. Descript. of, 147
_Siuriri noirátre et jaune_, 53
_Sourciroux_, 58
Spermophila nigrogularis, 88
Spheniscus Humboldtii, 137
_Sphenura ruficeps_, 79
Squatarola fusca, 126
—— cincta, 126
_Sterna aranea_, 145
—— _stolida_, 145
Strepsilas interpres, 132
Strigidæ, 31
Striginæ, 34
_Strix cunicularia_, 31
—— flammea, 34
—— punctatissima, 34
—— _brachyota_, 33
—— _rufipes_, 34
_Sturnella rubra_, 109
—— _militaris_, 110
_Sturnus pyrrhocephalus_, 109
—— _militaris_, 110
Surninæ, 31
_Sylvia Magellanica_, 74
—— _velata_, 87
—— _Bloxami_, 49
—— _macloviana_, 83
—— _nigricans_, 50
—— _Patagonica_, 67
—— dorsalis, 84
—— _perspicillata_, 51
—— _rubrigastra_, 86
Sylvicola aureola, 86
Synallaxis humicola, 75
—— major, 76
—— rufogularis, 77
—— maluroides, 77
—— maluroides, Anat. Descript. of, 152
—— flavogularis, 78
—— brunnea, 78
—— ægithaloides, 79
—— ruficapilla, 79
—— _dorso-maculata_, 82
—— _tupinieri_, 81
_Tachuris omnicolor_, 86
—— _roi_, 86
—— _nigricans_, 50
_Le Petit Tachuris noirâtre_, 50
_Tanagra ruficollis_, 91
—— _Guianensis_, 58
—— _vittata_, 98
—— _canicapilla_, 87
—— _Darwinii_, 97
—— _Bonariensis_, 107
—— _superciliaris_, 97
—— _jacarina_, 92
_Tanagra striata_, 97
Tanagrinæ, 97
_Tantalus Mexicanus_, 129
—— _chalcopterus_, 129
_Tetrao Falklandicus_, 117
Thalassidroma oceanica, 141
Thamnophilinæ, 58
Thamnophilus doliatus, 58
Theristicus melanops, 128
_Tinamus minor_, 119
—— _major_, 119
—— _rufescens_, 120
Tinnunculus Sparverius, 29
Tinochorus rumicivorus, 117
—— rumicivorus, Anat. Descript. of, 155
—— _Eschscholtzii_, 117
_Tisserin des Galapagos_, 105
Tityranæ, 50
_Tœnioptera variegata_, 55
_Totanus semicollaris_, 131
—— fuliginosus, 130
—— flavipes, 129
—— macropterus, 129
—— melanoleucos, 130
—— _solitarius_, 130
_Trichas canicapilla_, 87
—— velata, 87
_Tringa Morinellus_, 132
—— _minutilla_, 131
—— _Urvillii_, 126
—— rufescens, 130
—— _semipalmata_, 128
—— _macroptera_, 129
—— _Schinzii_, 131
Trochilidæ, 110
Trochilus flavifrons, 110
—— forficatus, 110
—— gigas, 111
—— gigas, Anat. Descript. of, 154
Troglodytes Magellanicus, 74
—— Platensis, 75
—— _paradoxus_, 73
_Troupiale à tête jaune_, 107
Turdidæ, 59
Turdus Falklandicus, 59
_Turdus Magellanicus_, 59
_Turdus Thenca_, 61
—— rufiventer, 59
—— _varius_, 64
—— _curæus_, 107
—— _Chochi_, 59
—— _leucomelas_, 59
—— _albiventer_, 59
—— _Orpheus_, 60
Tyranninæ, 42
Tyrannula magnirostris, 48
—— _auriceps_, 47
—— _parvirostris_, 48
_Tyrannus Irupero_, 53
—— _pepoaza_, 54
—— _polyglottus_, 54
—— _nengeta_, 54
—— _magnanimus_, 43
—— _sulphuratus_, 43
—— _gutturalis_, 56
—— _coronatus_, 54
—— _Savana_, 43
Ulula rufipes, 34
Ululinæ, 32
Uppucerthia dumetoria, 66
—— dumetoria, Anat. Descript. of, 148
—— _dumetorum_, 66
_Uppucerthia vulgaris_, 66
—— _rupestris_, 67
_Uppucerthia nigro-fumosa_, 68
_Vanellus cinctus_, 126
Viralva aranea, 145
_Vultur gryphus_, 3
—— _aura_, 8
—— _atratus_, 7
—— _jota_, 7
Vulturidæ, 3
_White-rumped snipe_, 130
Xanthornus chrysopterus, 106
—— flavus, 107
Xema cirrocephalum, 142
Xolmis nengeta, 54
—— coronata, 54
—— variegata, 55
—— Pyrope, 55
_Yahana proprement dit_, 133
_Ypecaha_, 133
_Yellow crested grosbeak_, 88
_Yellow shanks snipe_, 129
_Yetapa psalura_, 51
Zaporina notata, 132
—— spilonota, 132
Zenaida aurita, 115
—— Galapagoensis, 115
—— Boliviana, 116
Zonotrichia strigiceps, 92
—— canicapilla, 91
—— matutina, 91
-----
Footnote 1:
I measured a specimen, which I killed there: it was from tip to tip of
wing, eight and a half feet; and from end of beak to end of tail four
feet.
Footnote 2:
I noticed that several hours before any of the Condors died, all the
lice with which they are infested, crawled to the outside feathers. I
was told, that this always happened.
Footnote 3:
In the case of the _Cathartes Aura_, Mr. Owen, in some notes read
before the Zoological Society, (See Magazine of Nat. Hist. New Ser.
vol. i. p. 638.) has demonstrated from the developed form of the
olfactory nerves, that this bird must possess an acute sense of smell.
It was mentioned on the same evening, in a communication from Mr.
Sells, that on two occasions, persons in the West Indies having died,
and their bodies not being buried till they smelt offensively, these
birds congregated in numbers on the roof of the house. This instance
appears quite conclusive, as it was certain, from the construction of
the buildings, that they must have gained the intelligence by the
sense of smell alone, and not by that of sight. It would appear from
the various facts recorded, that carrion-feeding hawks possess both
senses, in a very high degree.
Footnote 4:
Voyage dans l’Amérique Méridionale, vol. iii. p. 24.
Footnote 5:
In this work, whenever the particular name of any colour is given, or
it is placed within commas, it implies, that it is taken from
comparison with Patrick Syme’s edition of Werner’s Nomenclature of
Colours.
Footnote 6:
_Mileago Chimango_ of this work.
Footnote 7:
Novorum Actorum Academiæ Cæsariæ, Leopol. vol. xvi. p. 62.
Observationes Zoologicas, F. J. Meyenii.
Footnote 8:
Tom. iii. p. 162.
Footnote 9:
Voyage dans l’Amérique Meridionale Partie, Oiseaux, p. 52.
Footnote 10:
Perhaps to this genus belong _Muscicapa thamnophiloides_ and
_cinerea_, figured by Spix, in his Aves, pl. 26. f. 1 and 2. _G. R.
Gray._
Footnote 11:
Molina, in his account of Chile, attributes this nest, I believe,
through an error, to _Mimus thenca_.
Footnote 12:
Journal of Researches during the Voyage of the Beagle, p. 60.
Footnote 13:
This genus, and the following sub-genera, were named by Mr. Gould at a
meeting of the Zool. Soc. Jan. 10 1837, p. 4. of Proceedings.
Footnote 14:
Remarks on the Plumage of Birds, Charlsworth’s Mag. of Nat. History,
vol. i. p. 480.
Footnote 15:
Fauna Borealis, Birds, p. 278. Dr. Richardson states that the egg is
only seven lines and a half in length. I presume the measure of eight
lines, instead of twelve to the inch, must in this case have been
used. I am much indebted to the kindness of Mr. Yarrell for lending me
an egg of the _Molothrus pecoris_, forming part of a collection of
North American eggs in his possession.
Footnote 16:
Wilson’s American Ornithology, vol. ii. p. 162.
Footnote 17:
Magazine of Zoology and Botany, vol. i. p. 217.
Footnote 18:
See Azara, vol. iii. p. 170.
Footnote 19:
It appears that the eggs in the same nest with that of the _Molothrus
pecoris_, are turned out by the parent birds before they are hatched,
owing to the egg of the _M. pecoris_ being hatched in an unusually
short time; in the case of the young cuckoo, as is well known, the
young bird itself throws out its foster-brothers. Mr. C. Fox, however,
(Silliman’s American Journal, vol. xxix. p. 292), relates an instance
of three young sparrows having been found alive with a Molothrus.
Footnote 20:
Humboldt, Pers. Narr. vol. v. part 1. p. 352. Cook’s Third Voyage,
vol. ii. and Beechey’s Voyage.
Footnote 21:
Cowley’s Voyage, p. 10, in Dampier’s Collection of Voyages.
Footnote 22:
Dampier’s Voyage, vol. i. p. 103. For some further observations on the
tameness of the birds on this and some other islands, see my Journal
of Researches, p. 475.
Footnote 23:
In Hearne’s Travels in North America, (p. 383), it is stated that the
Northern Indians shoot the varying hare, which will not bear to be
approached in a straight line, in an analogous manner, by walking
round it in a spire. The middle of the day is the best time, when the
shadow of the hunter is not very long.
Footnote 24:
Sturt’s Travels, vol. ii. p. 74.
Footnote 25:
A Gaucho assured me that he had once seen a snow-white, or Albino
variety, and that it was a most beautiful bird.
Footnote 26:
It appears, also, from Mr. Gould’s late most interesting discoveries
regarding the habits of the _Talegalla Lathami_, (an Australian bird,
one of the Rasores,) that several females lay in one nest, and that
the eggs are hatched by the heat engendered by a mass of decaying
vegetable matter. It appears that the males assist the females in
scratching together the leaves and earth, of which the great conical
mound or nest is composed.
Footnote 27:
Burchell’s Travels, vol. i. p. 280.
Footnote 28:
Azara, vol. iv. p. 173.
Footnote 29:
Lichtenstein, however, (Travels, vol. ii. p. 25.) states, that the
hens begin to sit when ten or twelve eggs are laid, and that they
afterwards continue laying. He affirms that by day the hens take turns
in sitting, but that the cock sits all night.
Footnote 30:
The naturalists in Lutke’s voyage, vol. iii. p. 255, seem to consider
a gull, which they obtained at Concepcion, as the _Larus Franklinii_
of North America.
Footnote 31:
I am much indebted to Mr. Eyton for these observations, which greatly
add to the value of the previous descriptions.
Footnote 32:
Since the above was in type, I have had, through the kindness of Mr.
Gould, an opportunity of examining _Menura lyra_, and find my former
supposition to be correct; but neither of these genera can be placed
among the gallinaceous birds where the latter bird has been arranged
by some authors.
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