Volume Ii Part 41 (1/2)

This species is solitary in its habits, conceals itself very closely in the gra.s.s, and flies with the greatest reluctance. I doubt if there is anywhere a bird with such a sounding flight as the Tinamou; the whir of its wings can only be compared to the rattling of a vehicle driven at great speed over a stony road. From the moment it rises until it alights again there is no cessation in the rapid vibration of the wings; but, like a ball thrown by the hand, the bird flies straight away with extraordinary violence until the impelling force is spent, when it slopes gradually towards the earth, the distance it is able to accomplish at a flight being from 800 to 1500 yards. This flight it can repeat when driven up again as many as three times, after which the bird can rise no more.

The call of the Large Partridge is heard, in fine weather, at all seasons of the year, especially near sunset, and is uttered while the bird sits concealed in the gra.s.s, many individuals answering each other; for although I call it a solitary bird, it being a rare thing to see even two together, many birds are usually found living near each other.

The song or call is composed of five or six notes of various length, with a mellow flute-like sound, and so expressive that it is, perhaps, the sweetest bird-music heard on the pampas.

The eggs are usually five in number, nearly round, highly polished, and of a dark-reddish-purple or wine colour; but this beautiful tint in a short time changes to a dull leaden hue. The nest is a mere sc.r.a.pe, insufficiently lined with a few gra.s.s-leaves. The young birds appear to leave the mother (or father, for it is probable that the male hatches the eggs) at a very early period. When still very small they are found living, like the adults, a solitary life, with their facilities, including those of flight and the melodious voice, in a high state of perfection.

428. NOTHOPROCTA PENTLANDI (Gray).

(PENTLAND'S TINAMOU.)

+Rhynchotus pentlandii+, _G. R. Gray, List of Gall. B. M._ p. 103 (1867). +Rhynchotus punctulatus+, _G. R. Gray, ibid._ (jr.).

+Nothoprocta doeringi+, _Cab. J. f. O._ 1878, p. 198 (Cordova); _White, P. Z. S._ 1883, p. 432 (Cordova).

_Description._--Above cinereous; head and back banded with black bars, which are bordered with ochraceous; back also varied with longitudinal whitish streaks; wings cinereous, with pale ochraceous cross bars on the outer webs: beneath pale cinereous; throat whitish; breast and sides of belly with rounded whitish spots; middle of belly creamy white; bill and feet reddish: whole length 80 inches, wing 55, tail 20.

_Hab._ Andes of Bolivia and Northern Argentina.

We have been able to compare a typical specimen of _Nothoprocta doeringi_, received from Dr. Doering of Cordova, with the series of specimens of this group in the British Museum, and find that Dr.

Cabanis's name must give way to G. R. Gray's prior designation. Dr.

Doering's specimens of this species were obtained in the Sierra de Cordova. The original example of _Nothoprocta pentlandi_ was procured by Pentland, the well-known scientific traveller (after whom it is called), in the Andes of Bolivia.

429. NOTHOPROCTA CINERASCENS (Burm.).

(CINEREOUS TINAMOU.)

+Nothura cinerascens+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 498 (Cordova, Tuc.u.man); _Salvin, Ibis_, 1880, p. 364 (Tuc.u.man); _White, P. Z.

S._ 1883, p. 43 (Cordova). +Nothoprocta cinerascens+, _Cab. J. f.

O._ 1878, p. 198 (Cordova).

_Description._--Above cinereous; head and whole back banded with black and pale brown and streaked with fulvous white: beneath pale ashy white; breast and flanks banded and freckled with blackish and cinereous; under wing coverts with black and fulvous cross bands; wings blackish, outer webs spotted with fulvous; bill horn-colour, lower mandible and feet yellowish: whole length 120 inches, wing 68, tail 26.

_Hab._ Northern Argentina.

This fine and distinct species was first obtained by Dr. Burmeister in Cordova and in Tuc.u.man, where Durnford also obtained specimens of it during his last journey. It is larger than _N. pentlandi_, and has the breast thickly covered by somewhat rounded light spots upon a cinereous ground; these are mixed with black points and slight striations.

430. NOTHURA MACULOSA (Temm.)

(SPOTTED TINAMOU.)

+Nothura maculosa+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, p. 499; _Scl. et Salv.

Nomencl._ p. 153; _iid. P. Z. S._ 1868, p. 143 (Buenos Ayres); _Hudson, P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 547 (Rio Negro); _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 203 (Buenos Ayres); _Gibson, Ibis_, 1880, p. 168 (Buenos Ayres); _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 629 (Misiones); _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 317 (Entrerios, Bahia Blanca); _Withington, Ibis_, 1888, p. 473 (Lomas de Zamora). +Nothura major+, _Darwin, Zool.

'Beagle,'_ iii. p. 119.

_Description._--Above pale yellowish brown, barred with black and brown and streaked with fulvous white; wing-feathers ashy black, crossed on both webs by fulvous bands: beneath rich yellowish brown; throat white; breast and flanks spotted and banded with brownish black; bill and feet yellowish brown: whole length 110 inches, wing 55, tail 16. _Female_ similar, but larger.