208 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



species was fairW common on the Paraguay River above Puerto 

 Las Palmas on August 2. At Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay, the birds 

 were found in pairs along the Rio Paraguay on September 3 and 

 30, and Avere recorded at lagoons near Kilometer 80 on September 

 8, 10, and 18. On February 2, 1921, two were taken at the Paso 

 Alamo on the xVrroyo Sarandi north of San Vicente, Uruguay. 

 These birds call in a high-pitched steely rattle or a low chuck. 

 They are found over water where they have the habits common to 

 their larger relative, the ringed kingfisher, but differ from that 

 bird in that they are frequently found about little ponds in the 

 savannas, where the w^ater is shallow and small in extent. 



A wounded bird exhibited a peculiarity, that I have not ob- 

 served previously, in that a small air sac, capable of distension at 

 will, lay underneath the skin of the lower eyelid. When this sac was 

 filled with air the distended lid half covered the eye, while the free 

 margin of the lid was pressed out until it was 2i/. mm. from the 

 ej^eball. The sac was rudely oval, was pointed at either end. and 

 extended across from inner to outer canthus. Its distension was 

 greater below than at the margin of the lid. The sac was distended 

 and deflated several times during my examination of the bird. 

 and the chamber was readily seen on dissection. The function of 

 this curious structure is evidently to protect the eye durijig impact 

 with water Vx'hen the bird dives. 



The wing in this species is eutaxic as has been recorded by AV. D. 

 Miller.^'5 



CHLOROCERYLE AMERICANA VIRIDIS (Vieillot) 



Alccdo viridis Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol. 19, ISIS, p. 413. 

 (Paraguay.) 

 This form of the green kingfisher differs from C. a. americana 

 in larger size, and lighter green above, wliile in the female the dark 

 breastband is narrower and is more obscured by pale tips on the 

 feathers. In the areas visited the bird was found in the same locali- 

 ties as its larger relatives — in fact, I collected my first specimens 

 of all three of the species found in northern Argentina within the 

 space of fifteen minutes — but is less abundant. Like (J. amazona it 

 often frequents small pools in the savannas. At Las Palmas, Chaco, 

 a female was taken Jul.y 17, 1920, just after it had flown grace- 

 fullj'^ out to capture a passing insect on the wing. July 27 another 

 fished in a small estero, hovering over the water, and then darting 

 down to strike the water with great dasli and speed. At the Paso 

 Alamo on the Arro3^o Sarandi, north of San Vicente, Uruguay, a 

 female was taken on February 2, 1921. Another was shot near 



'^«Aiik, 1920, p. 427. 



