Volume I Part 25 (1/2)

+Cnipolegus hudsoni+, _Scl. P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 541, pl. x.x.xi. (Rio Negro).

_Description._--Uniform dull black; a broad bar across the bases of the inner webs of the wing-feathers white; two outer primaries much pointed at their extremities; bill plumbeous, feet black: whole length 60 inches, wing 28, tail 26.

This species is at once distinguishable from the preceding (_C.

anthracinus_) by its smaller size and the peculiar narrowed outer remiges.

_Hab._ Northern Patagonia.

This species is found in the western provinces of the Argentine Republic, and, like _C. anthracinus_, which it closely resembles, is a summer visitor in Patagonia, where it makes its appearance in October.

The plumage is intense black, with the inner webs of the remiges at their base white, but the wing-band, which is over an inch in breadth, shows only when the bird flies. There is also a small white spot on the flank, scarcely visible, and excepting for this speck the bird at rest appears entirely black. When it flies the white band appears suddenly, producing a curious effect, for the wings are opened and shut successively and with great rapidity, making the white band appear like a succession of flashes. All the movements of the bird are eccentric to a degree. It selects a dead twig on the summit of a bush, and this perch it occupies during many hours every day. Occasionally it darts after a pa.s.sing insect, but I believe it feeds princ.i.p.ally on the ground, like _Lichenops perspicillatus_. At intervals it quits its perch very suddenly and revolves round it with the rapidity of a moth whirling round the flame of a candle, the wings producing a loud humming sound, and the bird uttering a series of sharp clicking notes. During this performance the white wing-band appears like a pale mist surrounding the bird. This fantastical dance over, it resumes its perch, and, until moved to a second display, sits as motionless as a bird carved out of jet.

128. CNIPOLEGUS CYANIROSTRIS (Vieill.).

(BLUE-BILLED TYRANT.)

+Cnipolegus cyanirostris+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 457 (Mendoza): _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 43; _Barrows, Bull. Nutt.

Orn. Cl._ vol. viii. p. 141 (Entrerios).

_Description._--Uniform dull black; inner webs of the wing-feathers margined with dull white; bill plumbeous, feet dark brown: whole length 57 inches, wing 30, tail 56. _Female_ dark cinnamomeous brown, brighter on the head and rump; wings blackish, wing-coverts and secondaries edged with pale rufous; tail blackish brown, outer margins of outer rectrices and inner webs of all the rectrices, except the two middle, bright rufous; below pale fulvous, densely striated with blackish; bill and feet brown.

_Hab._ S. Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and La Plata.

In size this species of Black Tyrant is but slightly smaller than the one described, and the colour is also of an intense black, but the white wing-band is less conspicuous, the borders only of the inner webs of the quills being white. It also differs in having a bright blue beak and red eyes. Azara discovered it in Paraguay, and described the brown-plumaged female as a distinct species. He merely says that it sits on the summit of a bush and darts after pa.s.sing insects, but it will, no doubt, be found to possess some curious performing habits like the other species of the genus.

Mr. Barrows met with this species on the Lower Uruguay, in the month of September, and Burmeister obtained it near Mendoza.

129. CNIPOLEGUS CABANISI, Schulz.

(CABANIS'S TYRANT.)

+Cnipolegus cabanisi+, _Schulz, Journ. f. Orn._ 1882, p. 462.

_Description._--Nearly uniform olivaceous slate-colour; below rather paler; wings and tail black: whole length 60 inches, wing 34, tail 31. _Female_ brownish olive, below paler; wings blackish, slightly edged with rufous; tail black, with broad rufous margins to the inner webs, and narrow similar margins to the outer webs; bill and feet brown.

_Hab._ Tuc.u.man.

This is one of Herr Schulz's discoveries in Tuc.u.man. He met with it, in the month of January, in the mountainous districts of that province.

130. CNIPOLEGUS CINEREUS, Scl.

(CINEREOUS TYRANT.)

+Cnipolegus cinereus+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 43; _Doring, Journ. f. Orn._ 1878, p. 197 (Cordova); _Salvin, Ibis_, 1880, p.

357, pl. x. (Tuc.u.man, Salta).

_Description._--Dark cinereous, paler and more olivaceous on the back and wings; edges of wing-coverts and secondaries rather lighter; below paler, throat and breast blackish, like the head; inner margins of wing-feathers whitish; outer primaries ac.u.minated; bill plumbeous, feet black: whole length 46 inches, wing 22, tail 23. _Female_ brownish cinereous; cap and rump rufous; wings blackish, tips of coverts and edges of outer secondaries whitish; tail blackish, inner webs of all the lateral rectrices, except the tips, rufous; beneath whitish.

_Hab._ Northern Argentina.