Volume I Part 28 (2/2)

+Anaeretes flavirostris+, _Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S._ 1876, p. 355; 1879, p. 613.

_Description._--Above brownish olive; head black, mixed with white and surmounted by narrow elongated black crest-feathers; wings blackish, outer web of external rectrix whitish; beneath pale stramineous, throat and breast white, densely striated with black; under wing-coverts white; bill yellowish, with a black tip; feet black: whole length 42 inches, wing 21, tail 20.

_Hab._ Bolivia and N. Argentina.

A specimen of this species was procured, at Cosquin, near Cordova, by White.

150. CYANOTIS AZARae, Naum.

(MANY-COLOURED TYRANT.)

+Cyanotis azarae+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 47; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 177 (Buenos Ayres, Centr. Patagonia); _Gibson, Ibis_, 1880, p. 32 (Buenos Ayres); _Doring, Exp. al Rio Negro, Zool._ p.

43 (R. Colorado, R. Negro); _Barrows, Nutt. Bull. Orn. Cl._ viii.

p. 200 (Entrerios, Carhue, Pampas).

_Description._--Above dark bronzy green; head black; superciliaries yellow; vertical spot crimson; wings black; broad tips of the lesser wing-coverts and broad edgings of some of the secondaries white, forming a large white bar on the wing; tail black, greater part of outer pair of rectrices and outer web and broad tip of next pair and narrow tips of third pair white; beneath bright ochreous yellow; chin whitish; crissum crimson; incomplete band across the lower breast black; under wing-coverts white; bill black; feet dark flesh-colour: whole length 42 inches, wing 21, tail 17. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ La Plata, Chili, and Western Peru.

This charming little bird is variously called by the country people All-coloured or Seven-coloured. Azara called it ”The King”--a name which this species deserves, he says, not only on account of the crown of loose feathers on its head, but because it is exceeded by few birds in beauty. It is the most beautiful bird found in Chili, says Gay; and Darwin, who is seldom moved to express admiration, calls it ”an exquisitely beautiful little bird.” There are many species possessing a more brilliant plumage, none with so great a variety of distinct colours; for on its minute body, which is less than that of the House-Wren, are seen black, white, green, blue, orange, yellow, and scarlet; and all these hues are disposed and contrasted in such a manner as to produce a very pleasing effect--the olive-green and delicate, yellow predominating, while the vivid scarlet is a mere spot, like the bright gem or ornament which serves to set off and enhance the beauty of the dress. The whole under plumage is pure lovely yellow, while a broad mark of velvet-black extends belt-wise from the bend of each wing, but without meeting in the centre of the bosom. The sides of the head are deep blue; over the blue runs a bright yellow stripe, surmounted with the loose, slender, almost hair-like feathers of the crown, which stand partially erect, and are blue mixed with black, with vivid scarlet in the centre. Above, from the back of the head to the tail, the colour is deep green. The wings are black, crossed with a white band; tail also black, the two outer quills pure white, and the succeeding two partially white, the white colour appearing only when the bird flies. Moreover, as though this diversity of colour were not enough, the soles of the black feet are bright orange, the eye of the male delicate sky-blue, while the female has white eyes.

While on the subject of the colouring of this species, I will mention a curious phenomenon which I have observed many times. When the bird is flying away from the spectator in a strong sunlight, and is at a distance of from twenty to thirty yards from him, the upper plumage, which is dark green, sometimes appears bright blue. At first I thought that a distinct species of _Cyanotis_, cerulean blue in colour, existed, but finally became convinced that the green feathers of the _C. azarae_ appear blue in certain lights. This seems strange, as the feathers of the back are not glossed.

The Many-coloured Tyrant is, apparently, a very feeble flier, rising reluctantly when frightened from the rushes, and fluttering away to a distance of a few yards, when it again drops down. Yet it is strictly migratory. Darwin met with it at Maldonado in the month of June, and therefore concluded that it does not migrate; but he mentions that it was very rare. I have also occasionally seen one in winter on the pampas, but many migratory species leave a few stragglers behind in the same way. At the end of September they suddenly appear all over the pampas, in every swamp and stream where there are beds of rushes; for in such situations only is the bird found: and this migration extends far into Patagonia. They are always seen in pairs amongst the dense rushes, where they perch on the smooth stems, not near the summit, but close down to the surface of the water, and perpetually hop from stem to stem, deftly picking up small insects from the surface of the water. They also occasionally leave the rushes and search for insects in the gra.s.s and herbage along the border. They are very inquisitive, and if a person approach the rush-bed, they immediately come out of their concealment, both birds uttering their singular notes--a silvery, modulated sound, not meant for a song apparently, and yet I do not know any sweeter, purer sound in nature than this. All through the close-growing dark rushes the pretty little melodists may be heard calling to each other in their delicate, gurgling notes.

The nest is a marvel of skill and beauty. As a rule it is attached to a single polished rush, two or three feet above the water and about the middle of the stem. It is cup-shaped inside, and about four inches long, circular at the top, but compressed at the lower extremity, and ending in a sharp point. It is composed entirely of soft bits of dry yellow rush, cemented together with gum so smoothly that it looks as if made in a mould. The eggs are two in number, oval, and dull creamy white, sometimes with a ring of colour at the large end.

151. LEPTOPOGON TRISTIS, Scl. et Salv.

(SORRY TYRANT.)

+Leptopogon tristis+, _Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S._ 1876, p. 254; _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 606 (Misiones).

_Description._--Above olive; cap rather darker; wings and tail blackish, margined with olive, the two rows of wing-coverts and three or four outer secondaries with clear yellowish-white apical spots; beneath pale sulphur-yellow; under wing-coverts yellow; inner margins of wing-feathers whitish: bill horn-colour; feet brown: whole length 44 inches, wing 21, tail 21.

_Hab._ Northern La Plata and Bolivia.

This bird was obtained by White near San Javier, Misiones, ”amongst the lofty trees on the river-banks.” White believed that he also met with it in the Sierra de Totoral.

152. ELAINEA ALBICEPS (d'Orb. et Lafr.).

(WHITE-CRESTED TYRANT.)

+Elainea modesta+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 454. +Elainea albiceps+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 48; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1878, p. 60 (Buenos Ayres); _Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ vol.

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