BIRDS OF ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 177 



available information it is not apparent whether chalcauchenia or 

 <ihlorauchenia has priority, and it is not impossible that one of 

 them may antedate ochroptera. In a recent number of El Hornero 

 (vol. 3, 1923, p. 200), Peters has stated that chalcauchenia is valid 

 which may well be true but requires further substantiation. 



When sufficient material is available for a review of these pigeons 

 it seems probable that what is here considered as the species ochrop- 

 tera may be merged as a part of the wide ranging Leptotila 

 verreauxi. 



The southern wood pigeon was fairly common in the southern 

 portion of the Chaco and, Avherever thickets offered shelter, among 

 the hills or near the streams of southern Uruguay. On the pampas 

 it was found in small numbers in groves, and though driven out 

 in some areas where the tala forests have been destroyed has spread 

 in other sections where groves have been planted on estancias to 

 furnish shelter to stock from the severity of storms. The habits of 

 this form are similar to those detailed under L. o. ochroptera. 



At Las Palmas, Chaco, from July 16 to 30, 1920, the species was 

 common and specimens were taken July 16 and 17. This was the 

 beginning of the breeding season and birds taken were sexually 

 active. They called constantly, and were especially nois}^ during dull, 

 rainy weather when they sat huddled on low perches calling in reso- 

 nant tones at frequent intervals. An adult female had the bill 

 black; bare skin about eye gray number 7; an irregular semilunar 

 mark before and behind eye acajou red; tarsus and toes acajou red; 

 ■claws black. 



Two pairs inhabited the tala woods at the Estancia Los Yngleses, 

 near Lavalle, Buenos Aires, as was recorded on November 8. Neaf 

 San Vicente, Uruguay, from January 25 to 31, 1921, the birds were 

 fairly common on the brush-covered slopes of the hill known as the 

 Oerro Navarro. They called frequently and an adult female taken 

 January 25 was about to lay. At Lazcano, Uruguay, from February 

 5 to 8, the species was found in the heavy woods along the K.io 

 CeboUati where a male was taken February 6. At Rio Negro, Uru- 

 guay, the birds were recorded from February 14 to 19. 



Leptotila ochroptera has a diastataxic wing, thus agreeing with 

 what Miller ^^ has recorded in L. verreauxi. 



METRIOPELIA MELANOPTERA MELANOPTERA (Molina) 



Columba Melanopter-a Molina, Sagg. Stor. Nat. Chili, 1782, p. 236. (Cliile.) 



Specimens secured in Mendoza and Neuquen agree with two from 

 Santiago, Chile, in the National Museum, which are taken as repre- 

 sentative of the typical form. J. L. Peters has called my attention 

 to a note in the Journal fiir Ornithologie, 1913 (p. 401), where 



S3 Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., vol. 34, 19l5, p. 130. 



