BIRDS OF ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 337 

 EMPIDONOMUS AURANTIO-ATROCRISTATUS (d'Orbigny and Lafresnaye) 



Tii7-anmis axirantio-atrocristatus (VObbigny and Lafresnaye, Mag. Zool., 

 1837, cl. 2, p. 45. (Valle Grande, Bolivia.) 



The present species appears to be migrant in the southern part of 

 its range, since it was not recorded until September 15, 1920, when 

 three were found and two males taken near Kilometer 80, west of 

 Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay. Others were noted there September 20 

 and 21, and the birds were seen in fair numbers September 23 at 

 Kilometer 170, and September 25 at Kilometer 200. From December 

 24 to 29 the species was fairly common near Victorica, Pampa, where 

 two males in rather worn breeding plumage were taken. One other 

 male was shot at Rio Negro, Uruguay, on February 17, 1921. The 

 birds frequented open, brushy areas, and where the forest was thick 

 were encountered only at the borders of the groves. In actions they 

 were somewhat similar to kingbirds, as they always chose perches 

 at the tips of low branches, or at the top of small trees wdiere they 

 might watch for prey. Their flight, as they darted or turned 

 swiftly in the air after insects, and then alighted with an expert flirt 

 of their long wings, was alert and graceful. The call note of males 

 was a low, whistling pree-ee-ee-er^ that may be likened to the noise 

 produced in flight by the wings of Nothura maculosa. At other 

 times they uttered a series of squeaky calls that might pass for a 

 song. 



The Lengua Indians in the Paraguayan Chaco called them snak pi 

 tik. 



The bill, tarsi, and toes in fresh specimens were black; iris Van- 

 dyke brown. 



TYRANNUS MELANCHOLICUS MELANCHOLICUS Vieillot 



Tyrannus melancholicus Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol. 35, 1919, 

 p. 84. (Paraguay.) 



As in the time of Azara, this kingbird arrived in Paraguay in 

 September, since the first one taken, a male, was secured on Septem- 

 ber 23, at Kilometer 110, west of Puerto Pinasco. Others were seen 

 here September 26, and at Kilometer 80, September 28, while a male 

 was taken from a perch above the Rio Paraguay, opposite Puerto 

 Pinasco, on September 30. Near General Roca, Rio Negro, a few 

 were noted December 3, in wallows along the Rio Negro, and at Vic- 

 toria, Pampa, on December 23 and 24, the species was common. Two 

 breeding males (one prepared as a skeleton) were taken there De- 

 cember 23. Near San Vicente, Uruguay, from January 27 to 31, 

 1921, the birds frequented groves of palms, where an adult female 

 was shot January 27. The species was found in small numbers at 

 Lazcano, Uruguay, from February 5 to 8, and was recorded near 



