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

that I was never yet able to surprise one in the

nest, or to see the slightest disturbance of it by the bird's hurried

exit."

 

The bird has a very wide range in South America, and Mr. Salmon observed

its breeding-habits in Antioquia in Colombia. There also the bird varies

the form of its nest, making it as large as that of an English Magpie,

and roofing the top with a mass of large leaves to protect it from the

heavy rains. The eggs, he says, are very pale greenish blue, nearly

white; but he does not give the number.

 

 

SYNALLAXIS WHITII, Scl.

 

(WHITE'S SPINE-TAIL.)

 

  +Synallaxis whitii+, _Scl. Ibis_, 1881, p. 600, pl. xvii. fig. 2;

      _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 611 (Salta).

 

    _Description._--Above dark brown, lores, and superciliaries white;

    wings and tail chestnut red; beneath cinnamomeous, paler on the

    middle of the belly; large spot in the middle of the throat black;

    inner margins of wing-feathers and under wing-coverts cinnamomeous;

    bill black, feet pale hazel: whole length 5·7 inches, wing 2·5, tail

    2·6.

 

_Hab._ Northern Argentina.

 

White obtained a single example of this new species near Oran in

November 1880. It is most nearly allied to _S. scutata_ of Brazil.

 

 

SYNALLAXIS PHRYGANOPHILA (Vieill.).

 

(PRETTY-THROATED SPINE-TAIL.)

 

  +Synallaxis phryganophila+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 409

      (Paraná); _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 64; _Scl. P. Z. S._ 1874,

17; _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 611 (Buenos Ayres); _Barrows,

      Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ viii. p. 207 (Entrerios).

 

    _Description._--Above, front brown, crown chestnut, superciliaries

    white; sides of head, neck, back, and tail pale fulvous brown, with

    broad blackish striations on the neck and back; upper wing-coverts

    pale chestnut; wing-feathers blackish, the outer webs edged with

    pale fulvous brown; beneath, upper half of throat sulphur-yellow,

    lower half black, with a white patch on each side of the black;

    breast and belly whitish, washed with earthy brown, slightly fulvous

    on the breast and flanks; under wing-coverts fulvous white; bill and

    feet horn-colour: whole length 8·5 inches, wing 2·4, tail 4·6.

 

_Hab._ Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay.

 

This pretty Spine-tail is nowhere common in the Argentine country,

and in Buenos Ayres it is exceedingly scarce. It is rather large for

a _Synallaxis_, the total length being nine inches. The two middle

feathers of the acuminated tail greatly exceed the others in length,

measuring five inches. The plumage is very pale brown, marked with

fuscous; the crown and wing-coverts rufous. The beauty of the bird is in

the throat, which has three strongly contrasted colours, distinguishing

it from all other _Synallaxes_. In the angle of the beak the colour is

sulphur-yellow, under this is a patch of velvet-black, and on each side

of the yellow and black a pure white patch.

 

Mr. Barrows has the following very interesting note on its

nesting-habits:--"A nest containing four white eggs, faintly tinted

with blue, was found in a thorny tree, and some eight feet from the

ground. The nest was quite similar to the one just described (of _S.

albescens_), but the cavity in which the eggs were laid was near the

_top_ of the body of the nest, while the passage-way descended from it

to the base of the nest, and there becoming external rose gradually to

the level of the eggs at a distance of almost three feet."

 

 

SYNALLAXIS STRIATICEPS (Lafr. et d'Orb.).

 

(STRIPED SPINE-TAIL.)

 

  +Synallaxis striaticeps+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 469

      (Paraná); _Hudson, P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 544 (Rio Negro); _Scl. et

      Salv. Nomencl._ p. 64; _Scl. P. Z. S._ 1874, p. 21; _Salvin,

      Ibis_, 1880, p. 358 (Salta); _White, P. Z. S._ 1883, p. 39

      (Cordova); _Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ viii. p. 208

      (Entrerios).

 

    _Description._--Above earthy brown, darker on the crown, which

    has slight greyish striations; broad superciliaries white; upper

    wing-coverts pale chestnut; wing-feathers blackish, glossed with

    olive; tail pale chestnut; beneath white; under wing-coverts pale

    fulvous; bill and feet horn-colour: whole length 5·9 inches, wing

    2·4, tail 2·4. _Female_ similar.

 

_Hab._ Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, and Patagonia.

 

This species has a wide range south of the Equator, being found in

Bolivia, Uruguay, and throughout the Argentine Republic, including

Patagonia. In its habits it differs widely from other _Synallaxes_,

and in structure and coloration is also unlike its relatives.

 

The beak is longer and more curved, the claws more crooked, and the tail

stiffer than in other _Synallaxes_, and this difference in structure

corresponds to a different mode of life. The Striped Spine-tail creeps

on the trunk and larger branches of trees, seeking its insect-food in

the crevices of the bark, and when seen clinging to the trunk, supported

by its tail in a vertical position, with head thrown far back, and

progressing upwards by short quick hops, it looks wonderfully like a

small _Picolaptes_ with shortened beak. It is very restless, and

while searching for insects constantly utters a short, trilling,

querulous-sounding note.

 

It builds an open nest in the fork of a branch, of soft grasses and

hair, thickly lined with feathers, and lays four or five pure white

eggs.

 

 

SYNALLAXIS ORBIGNII, Reichenb.

 

(D'ORBIGNY'S SPINE-TAIL.)

 

  +Synallaxis orbignii+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 64; _Scl. P. Z.

      S._ 1874, p. 22, et 1879, p. 461; _Salvin, Ibis_, 1880, p. 358

      (Salta). +Synallaxis humicola+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p.

      468 (Mendoza, Paraná). +Synallaxis crassirostris+, _Leybold, J.

O._ 1865, p. 401. +Synallaxis flavigularis+, _Döring, Exp. al

      Rio Negro, Zool._ p. 45.

 

    _Description._--Above pale earthy brown, superciliaries whitish;

    wing-feathers blackish, the basal part of the secondaries pale

    chestnut, forming a transverse band; four middle tail-feathers

    blackish, the lateral pale chestnut; beneath whitish brown; middle

    of throat pale rufous; under wing-coverts fulvous; bill and feet

    horn-colour: whole length 6·5 inches, wing 2·2, tail 3·2.

 

_Hab._ Bolivia and Argentina.

 

This Spine-tail has been noticed by various observers in Northern

Argentina, and, if we are correct in referring _S. flavigularis_ of

Döring to the same species, occurs also in the Rio Negro district.

 

 

SYNALLAXIS MODESTA, Eyton.

 

(MODEST SPINE-TAIL.)

 

  +Synallaxis modesta+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 64; _Scl. P.

S._ 1872, p. 544 (Rio Negro), et 1874, p. 23. +Synallaxis

      flavogularis+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 468 (Mendoza).

 

    _Description._--Above earthy brown, superciliaries whitish; wings

    blackish, the basal half of secondaries pale clear brown, forming a

    transverse bar; tail black, the outer webs of all the rectrices pale

    chestnut; beneath whitish brown, with a large fulvous spot on the

    throat; under wing-coverts fulvous; bill and feet pale brown: whole

    length 6·0 inches, wing 2·4, tail 2·5. _Female_ similar.

 

_Hab._ Argentina, Patagonia, Chili.

 

This species so closely resembles the following in size and dull

earthy-brown colour, that where seen in the thickets it is impossible to

distinguish them. In habits they also seem alike; but this bird is, I

think, less retiring, for I have seen it associating with other species

of _Synallaxis_.

 

On comparing specimens together, however, it is easy to separate the

present bird from _S. sordida_ by noticing the colour of the external

rectrices, which are black, externally edged with rufous, instead of

being wholly rufous.

 

 

SYNALLAXIS SORDIDA, Less.

 

(SORDID SPINE-TAIL.)

 

  +Synallaxis sordida+, _Hudson, P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 543 (Rio Negro);

      _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 64; _Scl. P. Z. S._ 1874, p. 23;

      _Durnford, Ibis_, 1878, p. 396 (Centr. Patagonia); _White, P. Z.

      S._ 1883, p. 39 (Cordova); _Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ viii.

208 (Entrerios).

 

    _Description._--Above earthy brown; wing-feathers blackish brown,

    their basal parts pale chestnut-brown, forming a transverse bar;

    tail blackish, the three outer rectrices and outer web of the fourth

    rectrix on each side wholly pale chestnut-brown; beneath pale earthy

    brown, clearer on the belly, and with a bright fulvous spot on

    the throat; under wing-coverts pale cinnamomeous; bill and feet

    blackish: whole length 6·5 inches, wing 2·3, tail 2·8. _Female_

    similar.

 

_Hab._ Patagonia and East Argentina.

 

This species, which, on close comparison, is at once distinguishable

from _S. modesta_ by the absence of any black colour on the three

exterior pairs of tail-feathers, ranges from the extreme north of the

Argentine Republic to Patagonia, where it is quite common, and is

invariably found in dry situations abounding in thorny vegetation.

 

It does not migrate, and lives with its mate in thorny bushes, but does

not attempt to conceal itself, and sits much on the summit of a bush,

where the male in spring utters at intervals a clear trilling call.

In its inactive disposition, slow deliberate movements, also in its

language, it strikingly resembles the _Phacellodomus ruber_. In its

nidification it also comes nearest to that species. The nest is a large

structure of sticks, eighteen inches to two feet long, placed upright

among the twigs at the summit of a bush. From the top where the entrance

is placed, a winding passage leads down to the chamber at the bottom of

the nest; this is lined with soft dry grass and feathers, and four pure

white eggs are laid.

 

 

SYNALLAXIS SULPHURIFERA, Burm.

 

(YELLOW-MARKED SPINE-TAIL.)

 

  +Synallaxis sulphurifera+, _Hudson, P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 544 (Rio

      Negro); _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 64; _Scl. P. Z. S._ 1874,

24; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 180, et 1878, p. 61 (Buenos

      Ayres); _Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ viii. p. 208 (Entrerios).

 

    _Description._--Above brown, slightly olivaceous; wings blackish;

    lesser wing-coverts, margins of the feathers of the greater

    wing-coverts, and outer webs of the basal halves of the

    wing-feathers pale chestnut; tail-feathers chestnut-brown, ends

    much elongated and pointed; beneath white, throat and breast mottled

    with grey, spot in middle of throat sulphur-yellow; flanks washed

    with brown; bend of wing and under wing-coverts fulvous; bill and

    feet pale horn-colour: whole length 6·3 inches, wing 2·1, tail 3·0.

    _Female_ similar.

 

_Hab._ South Argentina and Patagonia.

 

I have found this _Synallaxis_, which was first described by Prof.

Burmeister, from specimens obtained near Buenos Ayres, in the swamps

along the Plata river; also on the Rio Negro, in Patagonia, where,

however, it is very scarce. It inhabits the dense rush-beds growing in

the water, where the _Limnornis curvirostris_ is also found. It closely

resembles that species in habits and language, and also assimilates to

it in colour and in the rather long, curved beak, sharp claws, stout

body, and short stiff tail. It is stationary, pairs for life, and lives

always closely concealed in its chosen bed of close-growing rushes. When

a person approaches their hiding-place the two birds creep up to the

summit of the rushes, protesting in peculiar, loud, angry rattling

notes. The _Limnornis_, which also pairs for life, has precisely the

same habit.

 

Durnford describes the nest, found in a rush-bed, as a circular or domed

structure of grass, with the aperture at the side; the eggs white.

 

 

SYNALLAXIS PATAGONICA (Lafr. et d'Orb.).

 

(PATAGONIAN SPINE-TAIL.)

 

  +Synallaxis patagonica+, _Hudson, P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 544 (Rio Negro);

      _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 64; _Scl. P. Z. S._ 1874, p. 24;

      _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 35 (Chupat).

 

    _Description._--Above greyish earthy brown; wing-feathers blackish

    brown, basal halves of secondaries very pale clear brown, forming a

    transverse band; tail blackish, edged with greyish brown; outer web

    of outer feather on each side pale brown; beneath cinereous, with

    an obscure blackish spot on the throat; belly and flanks dull buff;

    under wing-coverts cinnamomeous; bill and feet blackish: whole

    length 6·0 inches, wing 2·2, tail 2·5. _Female_ similar.

 

_Hab._ Patagonia.

 

This dull-coloured little bird, which is found in Patagonia and also

near the Andes in the north-western provinces of the Argentine Republic,

is one of those species which diverge greatly in habits from the typical

_S. ruficapilla_ and its nearest allies. The body is stout, the tail,

square and short, is carried vertically as in the House-Wren.

 

The Patagonian Spine-tail is a resident in the Rio Negro district. It is

a silent, shy, solitary little bird, which lives on the ground and seeks

its food after the manner of the Cachalote (_Homorus_). Being small and

feeble, however, it does not hunt about the roots of trees and large

bushes like the larger and more powerful _Homorus_, but keeps under the

diminutive scrubby plants in open sterile situations. About the roots of

these wiry little bushes, only twelve to eighteen inches high, the

bird searches for small insects, and when disturbed has a feeble jerky

flight, which carries it to a distance of about twenty yards. It flies

with great reluctance, and when approached runs swiftly away, leaving a

person in doubt as to whether he has seen a mouse or a little obscure

bird. The only note I have heard it utter is a faint creaking sound when

alarmed or flying.

 

 

SYNALLAXIS HUDSONI, Scl.

 

(HUDSON'S SPINE-TAIL.)

 

  +Synallaxis hudsoni+, _Scl. P. Z. S._ 1874, p. 25; _Durnford, Ibis_,

      1877, p. 36, et 1878, p. 396 (Chupat, Central Patagonia);

      _Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ viii. p. 209 (Azul, Sierra de

      la Ventana). +Synallaxis sclateri+, _Cab. J. f. O._ 1878, p. 196.

 

    _Description._--Above fulvous brown,