280 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



PHAGE LLODOMUS SIBILATRIX Sclater 



Phacellodomus siMlatrix " Doring, MS.," Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. London,. 

 1879, p. 461. (Cordoba.) 



An adult male taken July 15, 1920, at Las Palmas, Chaco, near the 

 Riacho Quia, was the only one seen. 



PSEUDOSEISURA GUTTURALIS (d'Orbigny and Lafresnaye) 



Anatates gutturaUs d'ORBiGNY and Lafeesnaye, Mag. Zool., 1838, cl. 2^ 

 p. 15. (Rio Negro, Patagonia.) 



The present species of shy, secretive habit, an inhabitant of arid 

 regions, was encountered near General Roca, Rio Negro, November 

 24 to December 2, 1920; at Zapala, Neuquen, from December 7 to 9; 

 and near the city of Mendoza, in western Argentina, on March 13. 

 These birds frequent the denser growths of low, thorny brush that 

 grows over the dry, barren slopes of stony, sandy hills in these 

 regions, where, though they may be noted at a distance, it is diffi- 

 cult to approach them. They are seen occasionally running 

 swiftly on the ground, with the tail erect, taking advantage of 

 any cover that may offer. When excited they may come out to 

 rest on some low branch with jerking wings and tail, while they 

 peck nervously at the branches near at hand. They are found in 

 pairs or family groups that remain near their huge stick nests 

 placed in the low bushes. Their song is a loud, rattling call given 

 in chorus by male and female, similar in a way to that of Furnarius 

 rafus, but less loud and perhaps slightly more metallic in sound. 

 In addition they give a low, clucking call. Though their laughing 

 calls may be heard frequently at a distance, the birds slip away 

 rapidly through the brush, so that it is difficult to approach within 

 gunshot. Their undulating flight carries them barely above the 

 ground. 



An adult female when first taken had the maxilla and tip of the 

 mandible dark mouse gray; base of mandible pale Russian blue; 

 iris cream buff; tarsus gray number 6. 



Adult females were taken at General Roca, November 24 and 29, 

 and an adult female and three immature birds (two females and 

 one male) at Zapala, on December 9. The adult birds are in ex- 

 ceedingly worn plumage and have begun molt on the head. Im- 

 mature birds of both sexes are alike, and differ from the adults 

 in having faint, dusky cross bars on the breast. The white throat 

 feathers in this species are soft and silky to the touch. 



