BIRDS OP ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 199 



this species in contrast with the broadened mandible is remarkable ; 

 in most specimens the distal end of the bill shows considerable wear, 

 indicating that it is used extensively in work that requires heavy 

 cutting. 



CYANOLISEUS PATAGONUS PATAGONUS (Vieillot) 



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

 367. (Buenos Aires.) 



Since Azara/^ from whom Vieillot took his description of the 

 Patagonian parrot, says that he had four specimens of this bird from 

 Buenos Aires, and continued with the statement that he was in- 

 formed that the bird ranged from latitude 32° S. to the Patagonian 

 coast, it seems logical to assume that the type locality should be in 

 the Province of Buenos Aires, where the birds were common form- 

 erly, and not in Patagonia as is usually stated. 



The barranca parrot or loro han^anquero was foimd near Gen- 

 eral Roca, Rio Negro, from November 23 to December 3, 1920. In 

 this arid region the parrots frequented the flood plain of the Rio 

 Negro in the main, though occasionally a small flock ranged in- 

 land among the gravel hills that bordered the valley. In early 

 morning barranca parrots were astir an hour or two after daybreak, 

 when the air had been warmed by the sun, and remained abroad un- 

 til dark. In early morning floclvs were encountered near the river, 

 where they came for water, and later worked inland wherever ber- 

 ries or seeds offered them food. At such times they traveled rather 

 low, ranging from 2 to 10 meters in the air. As customary with par- 

 rots, they fiy steadily, in direct line, with the usual accompaniment 

 of screechine: calls. Their food consisted of berries that chanced 

 to be ripe at that season, among which may be noted Lycium salsum 

 and Discaria, species. The birds resemble macaws in appearance, 

 a suggestion that is furthered by the flashes of color that appear in 

 their plumage during flight. 



An adult female when killed had the bill deep neutral gray; bare 

 skin around eye pale olive buff; iris light buff; tarsus and toes 

 cartridge buff; claws black. 



Order CORACIIFORMES 

 Family TYTONIDAE 



TYTO ALBA TUIDARA (J. E. Gray) 



Strix tuidara J. E. Gray, in E. Griffith, ed. Cuvier's Anim. Kingd., vol. 

 6, 1829, p. 75. (Brazil.) 



At Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay, on September 1, 1920, a pair of 

 barn owls had a nest in the roof of a store building, where the screech 



'«Apunt. Hist. Nat. Paxaros Paraguay, vol. 2, 1805, p. 420. 



