242 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



I recorded this Sittaso'tnus at Las Palmas, Chaco, from July 15^ 

 to 30, 1920; Riacho Pilaga, Formosa, August 11 and 18; Kilometer 

 25, Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay, September 1; Kilometer 80, in the 

 same vicinity, September 8, 15, and 20; and on the Sierra San 

 Xavier, above Tafi Viejo, Tucuman, on April 17, 1921. 



The taquarita, as the species is known, inhabits heavy forest and 

 is not found in open areas. In search for food it creeps and climbs 

 over tree trunks and limbs, bracing with the tail to assist it in 

 progress, and moving so actively that it is difficult to follow. In 

 its method of climbing and the nervous activity that keeps it con- 

 tinually moving, it is suggestive of Certhia. The birds were found 

 often in company with little groups of other forest birds that travel 

 in social flocks. According to my brief observations, they were 

 entirely silent. 



Family FURNARIIDAE 



GEOSITTA CUNICULARIA CUNICULARIA (Vieillot) 



Alauda cunicularia Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol. 1, 1816, p. 369, 

 (Near the Rio de la Plata and Buenos Aires.) 



The common miner was recorded at the following points: Lavalle, 

 Buenos Aires, November 7 and 8, 1920 (adult and immature males 

 taken November 7) ; Carhue, Buenos Aires, December 15 to 18; Car- 

 rasco, Uruguay, January 9 and 16, 1921 ; La Paloma, Uruguay, Jan- 

 uary 23; San Vicente, Uruguay, January 31 to February 2 (adult 

 shot at Paso Alamo, February 2) ; Lazcano, Uruguay, February & 

 (adult female taken) to February 9; and Guamini, Buenos Aires, 

 March 3 and 4. In the series at hand skins from the Province of 

 Buenos Aires and Uruguay average slightly smaller than those from 

 Zapala, other localities in northern Patagonia, and Chile. Northern 

 skins are browner, and those from Chile grayer. Birds from Zapala 

 are intermediate in this respect and are referred to G. c. helhnuyri. 

 Two males from Uruguay have a wing measurement of 88 and 88.2 

 mm., respectively (a third from Quinta, Rio Grande do Sul, that I 

 have seen is similar), while males from Buenos Aires range from 

 89.2-93.5 mm. Geositta c. froheni^ as at present understood, distin- 

 guished by larger size (wing, 101.5-103.5 (and paler outer rectrix, is 

 represented in the United States National Museum by three speci- 

 mens from the Province of Mendoza. 



Adults have much longer bills than immature individuals even 

 when the latter appear fully grown. In immature plumage, birds 

 are distinguished by the paler margins on the feathers of the dorsal 

 surface, and by the narrow, buffy tips of the longer primaries. An 

 adult male secured February 2 has begun to molt on the breast. 

 Others are in full plumage. 



