: Argentine Ornithology, Volume I (of 2) by P. L Sclater, W. H Hudson (books to read in your 20s female .txt) 📖

the neck,

    breast, and upper belly scarlet; sides of belly and crissum with

    brownish edgings to the black feathers; under wing-coverts white;

    bend of the wing red; slight rictal stripe white; bill horn-colour;

    feet brown: total length 10·0 inches, wing 4·7, tail 3·6. _Female_

    similar.

 

_Hab._ Chili, Patagonia, and Falkland Islands.

 

Two species of _Trupialis_ inhabit the southernmost part of the

Argentine Republic, the present being confined to Patagonia and South

Chili, while its northern representative inhabits the pampas of Buenos

Ayres and Uruguay. Probably the Colorado River, which separates two

districts differing in soil and vegetation, is the boundary-line

dividing their habitats. So nearly alike are these two birds in colour,

language, and habits, that they seem rather like races than species; and

they were so regarded by naturalists until recently, when the pampas

bird was raised to the rank of a distinct species, with the name of

_Trupialis defilippii_. Unfortunately the old name _militaris_ fits the

Pampas, and not the Patagonian, Starling best; but of this I shall speak

when I describe the former species.

 

In form and size _T. militaris_ resembles the Common Starling of Europe,

but differs from it in habits, flight, language, and in colouring; its

upper plumage being fuscous mottled with yellowish grey, the throat

and bosom scarlet inclining to crimson. This hue varies greatly, the

breast-feathers being often tipped with white, which subdues the intense

red, and gives it a rosy tint in some individuals. The female is

paler-plumaged than the male, and has less red on the breast.

 

It inhabits the whole of Patagonia to the Strait of Magellan, but is

confined to the valleys or to the neighbourhood of water; and Durnford

remarks that it is a useful bird to the traveller in that thirsty

country, as its presence is a sure indication of water. It is resident,

and is seen in small parties of four or five, or in small flocks seldom

exceeding twenty or thirty in number. It feeds and lives on the ground,

and only occasionally is it seen to perch on a low bush. Its flight is

strong, and it flies about a great deal, and usually utters its song

when on the wing. The song is continued all the year, and is heard

even on the coldest days in winter; the notes are few and not highly

melodious, but are cheerful and vigorous.

 

The nest is made of dry grass and rootlets attached to the rushes in

moist ground, and placed close to or resting on the surface. The eggs

are five, the ground-colour white spotted or blotched with reddish

brown.

104. TRUPIALIS DEFILIPPII, Bp. (DE FILIPPI'S MARSH-STARLING.)

 

+Sturnella defilippii+, _Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S._ 1869, p. 161 (Buenos

      Ayres); _iid. Nomencl._ p. 38; _Döring, Exp. al Rio Negro, Zool._

41 (Pampas); _Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ viii. p. 136

      (Pampas south of Buenos Ayres). +Trupialis defilippii+, _Scl.

      Cat. B._ xi. p. 357. +Trupialis militaris+, _Burm. La-Plata

      Reise_, ii. p. 490 (Rosario, Paraná).

 

    _Description._--Like _Tr. militaris_, but rather smaller, and with

    the under wing-coverts black.

 

_Hab._ Northern Argentina and Uruguay.

 

Throughout the country where this species abounds it is called _Pecho

colorado_, which is certainly better than Azara's barbarous, if

picturesque, name of _Degollado_; but no happier name than _militaris_

could have been invented for it, by which it was formerly known to

naturalists; and though it was given to the bird merely on account

of the red breast, and was therefore equally applicable to all the

red-breasted species on the globe, in this case it accidentally seemed

to describe a peculiar habit of the bird, as well as its bright livery.

 

In size, form, gait, flight, language, and colour the present bird very

closely resembles the Patagonian Starling; but the crimson on the breast

is brighter and the upper parts are darker. Its nesting-habits are also

like those of the southern bird; the number and colour of the eggs being

the same in both species. One trivial difference in habit is that De

Filippi's Starling occasionally soars up a few yards into the air when

uttering its song. It inhabits the moist grassy pampas in the southern

part of the Buenos Ayrean province, and is there abundant and unites in

large flocks. At the approach of the cold season there is a general

movement northwards of the birds, which does not, however, extend far,

as the birds, although strong fliers, travel slowly and in a peculiar

manner; it is in this season, when the birds are seen moving in large

flocks, that the name of Military Starling strikes one as being

peculiarly appropriate. They do not journey through the air like other

migrants, but move over the ground, when the flock, composed of four or

five hundred to a thousand or more individuals, is extended so as to

present a very long front, and at intervals the hindmost birds fly over

the others and alight just in advance of them: the long front, the

precision of their movements, and their scarlet bosoms all turned one

way, suggest the idea of a disciplined army on its march.

 

They never perch on trees, but frequently alight on the roof of a rancho

or other elevation affording a secure footing. They are tame birds and

fly reluctantly; when approached, they usually crouch down, hiding their

crimson bosoms, and remain motionless in order to escape observation.

In disposition they are peaceful, and so fond of society that when one

becomes separated from his fellows he will unite with birds of another

kind, even with Plovers or Tyrant-birds.

 

On the great monotonous plains, where most of the small birds are grey-

or brown-plumaged, and in winter when there are no flowers to satisfy

the desire of the eye for bright colour, it is delightful, while

travelling, to meet with an army of these Starlings: their crimson

bosoms, less bright than the hues of some tropical species, seem then

to glow with a strange splendour on the sombre green of earth, and the

sight produces an exhilarating effect on the mind.

105. ICTERUS PYRRHOPTERUS, Vieill. (CHESTNUT-SHOULDERED HANG-NEST.)

 

+Icterus pyrrhopterus+, _Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S._ 1868, p. 140; _iid.

      Nomencl._ p. 36; _Hudson, P. Z. S._ 1870, p. 88 (Buenos Ayres);

      _Durnford, Ibis_, 1878, p. 59; _Salvin, Ibis_, 1880, p. 356

      (Salta); _Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ viii. p. 133 (Entrerios);

      _Scl. Cat. B._ xi. p. 368. +Xanthornus pyrrhopterus+, _Burm.

      La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 493 (Paraná, Tucuman).

 

    _Description._--Uniform black; upper lesser wing-coverts chestnut;

    bill black; feet dark brown: whole length 7·7 inches, wing 3·6,

    tail 3·8. _Female_ similar, but smaller.

 

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

 

This interesting bird, the only _Icterus_ found in the Argentine

Republic, ranges south to Buenos Ayres, where it is migratory, and

appears in small flocks of six or eight individuals in September; but

soon after arriving these little companies break up, and the birds are

subsequently found singly or in pairs in the woods along the Plata

River.

 

The sexes are alike in colour, but the male is considerably larger;

the whole plumage is an intense black, excepting a rufous spot on the

shoulder, seen only when the bird is on the wing; the bill is black and

curved, the body slender, and the tail long. It is a loquacious bird,

most of its tones being low and pleasing; exceedingly restless in

disposition, incessantly passing from tree to tree, jerking its long

tail and clinging to the branches in various attitudes, while searching

for insects in the decayed bark. While thus engaged it utters a great

variety of chirping and guttural sounds, interspersed with short

agreeable notes. It also has a song of considerable merit, low and

varied in tone, with a peculiar ventriloquism in many of the notes which

produce a confusing idea on the listener that the bird approaches

and recedes alternately whilst uttering them. While singing the bird

continues moving, but always concealed in the thick foliage, and it is

probably this constant turning about of the singer, and the notes coming

through leafy screens of varying density, which makes the ventriloquism

and gives so much light and shade to its mysterious melody.

 

The first bird of this species I shot was wounded very slightly in one

wing and fell into a stream; to my very great surprise it began singing

its usual song while floating about on the surface, making no attempt

to swim. After fishing it out it continued to sing at intervals in my

hand: how strange it was to hear this bleeding captive bird warbling out

soft, sweet notes which seemed to express only pleasant emotions! Yet

it was evident that the bird was fully alive to its danger, for it

struggled violently to escape and bit my finger savagely with its sharp

beak.

 

I subsequently found a nest; it was about seven inches deep, composed

entirely of lichens gathered from the boles of trees, ingeniously woven

together and suspended from the small twigs and leaves at the extremity

of a branch. There were no eggs in it, but the birds fluttered in great

trouble about me, and, what greatly surprised me, uttered a variety

of _singing_ notes, unlike their usual song, but many of them closely

resembling the notes of other songsters, which made me think that this

_Icterus_ possesses the mimicking faculty to some extent. This, however,

is a question it would be difficult to decide. It seems certain,

however, that this species is incapable of expressing any distressing

feeling, such as pain, fear, or parental anxiety, with loud harsh notes

like other birds. It is much to be regretted that Azara, who found this

species common in Paraguay, did not pay more attention to its habits and

language, which make it specially interesting even in a family so rich

in strange habits as the _Icteridæ_.

106. APHOBUS CHOPI (Vieill.). (CHOPI BOAT-TAIL.)

 

  +Chopi+, _Azara, Apunt._ i. p. 282. +Aphobus chopi+, _Scl. Cat. B._

p. 405. +Psarocolius unicolor+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. 494 (Mendoza).

 

    _Description._--Uniform black, slightly resplendent; bill and feet

    black; lower mandible sulcated: whole length 9·2 inches, wing 5·2,

    tail 4·0. _Female_ similar, but smaller and duller; bill not

    sulcated.

 

_Hab._ S. Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru.

 

The Chopi, which is said to be quite common in Paraguay, is only found

in the north-eastern part of the Argentine Republic, consequently I have

never seen it, except as a cage-bird; nor is there anything about it in

the notes of recent collectors and travellers who have visited the upper

waters of the Plata. This is, however, not to