198 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



on September 13. Through this region these parrakeets, known in 

 Anguete as chi to ffwi, and in Guarani as nenday, were fairly com- 

 mon, especially among open palm forests where palm nuts offered 

 food. Occasionally they fed on the ground under trees that had 

 dropped their seeds. Like other parrots they fly regularly to water 

 and alight in bushes where these stand in pools and sidle down until 

 they cau reach the fluid. They travel in flocks of ten to a dozen 

 individuals, that feed, or move in company, with fairly swift, direct 

 flight. Their approach is heralded by loud squalling calls and should 

 one of their number be killed, those remaining redouble their out- 

 cry. The common call may be represented as kree-ah kree-ah. The 

 species was recorded at Kilometer 200 on September 25. A few 

 were noted during August at the Riacho Pilaga, in central Formosa, 

 but were so wary that none Avere secured. 



A male taken September 13 had the bill sooty black ; iris chamois ; 

 tarsus pale vinaceous fawn. 



THECTOCERCUS ACUTICAUDATUS (Vieillot) 



Psittacus aciiticaudatus Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol 25, 1817, p. 

 3G9. (Lat. 24° S., Paraguay.) 



At the Riacho Pilaga (Kilometer 182), Formosa, on August 11, 

 1920, a male parrakeet of this species flew out from the border of 

 a forest to rest in the sun in a dead tree, where I shot it after a long 

 stalk. On August 18 another was taken from a flock of 20 that 

 passed awiftly overhead. Two others were seen on August 21. The 

 Toba Indians called this bird ta tas. 



On December 28 I found these birds fairly common in the open 

 forest near Victorica, Pampa, and collected a male. At this season 

 they seemed to be nesting for frequently as I passed through the 

 timber single birds darted swiftly around with shrieking calls. 

 They were feeding here on the piquillin and other berry-bearing 

 bushes. 



At Tapia, Tucuman, from April 6 to 13 the species was common 

 in the forests, where they ranged in considerable bands wherever 

 seeds, berries, or the fruit of large tree cacti offered food. Morning 

 and evening bands flew down to the river to drink, often flying 

 high in the air, and then returned to the cover of the forest. It was 

 said that they destroyed much corn at certain seasons. The long 

 tail readily distinguished this parrot from others and gave them 

 somewhat the appearance of Gyanoliseus. As they passed overhead 

 the light colored maxilla and feet were often visible. Three that 

 were killed on April 8 were preserved as specimens. The birds 

 are not bad eating where meat is scarce. 



Specimens from Pampa and Tucuman seem slightly duller green 

 than those from Formosa, but the series at hand is too small to 

 establish the difference definitely. The acute tip of the maxilla in 



