28 BULLETIN 133^ UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



I was astonished to hear the low whistle of the martineta and to 

 catch sight of an occasional crested bird as it ran aside through the 

 weeds. Others were noted in this same region on December 18. 

 It was said that the martineta was encroaching sloAvly on the range 

 of Rhynchotus rufescens in southern Buenos Aires, and that as 

 Calopezus came in it drove out and replaced the rufous-winged 

 bird. Barrows ° in 1881 recorded Calopezus only from the neighbor- 

 hood of Bahia Blanca, though he covered the region to the north- 

 ward as far as Carhue and Puan, so that there may be something 

 in the belief that the species is extending its range. Carhue is 

 situated in west central Buenos Aires, a point within the more 

 watered section of the eastern pampas. No specimens of crested 

 tinamou were secured here, so that these notes are placed ques- 

 tionably under the subspecies elegans. The form known as morenoi 

 which occurs in western Pampa was found in more arid country, 

 though the eastern limit of its range is not known. 



On December 15 a copeton, as the birds were known locally, 

 flushed with a startled note direct from a nest containing three 

 beautiful eggs. The nest was a slight hollow scratched out under 

 the lee of a low hillock of earth in ground partly bare of vege- 

 tation, though a fringe of grasses partly overhung the nest cavity. 

 A few bits of grass stems carelessly arranged formed an attempt at 

 nest lining, but lay at one side where they were no protection to 

 the eggs. The whole formed as crude and carelessly constructed 

 a nest as I have seen, save among such groups as shore birds and 

 goatsuckers. Tlie eggs have the usual shining glasslike surface 

 and vary in color from cosse to calliste green. One has the side 

 discolored to a light yellowish olive. They measure as follows: 

 51.9 by 40.5, 51.9 by 38.9, 51.7 by 38.5 mm. (PL 8.) 



Many Calopezus were offered for sale in the markets of Buenos 

 Aires during winter. Those examined were in part at least of the 

 typical subspecies. It is probable, however, that the forms marketed 

 there include the western and northern subspecies as well. 



CALOPEZUS ELEGANS MORENOI Chubb 



Calopezus elegans morenoi Chubb, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 38, Dec. 12, 

 1917, p. 31. (Neuquen, Argentina.) 



Adult females of the crested tinamou were taken at General Roca, 

 Rio Negro, Argentina, on November 25 and 26, 1920, and males on 

 December 2 and 3. A chick not more than 2 days old was collected 

 on December 3. An immature female about half grown was taken 

 December 27 near Victorica, Territory of Pampa, and an adult female 

 with a nearly grown male at Tunuyan, Province of Mendoza, on 



» Auk, vol. 1, 1884, p. 318. 



