BIRDS OF ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 351 



attracted frequently about farmhouses or courtyards. It was com- 

 mon in the Chaco, was less numerous on the pampas because of lack 

 of suitable coverts, and Avas found in fair numbers on the Kio Negi'o 

 of Patagonia, where it finds its southern limit. It reached its 

 greatest abundance in the dry, thorny scrubs of the Pampa Central, 

 where, near Victorica, it was one of the common birds. It appears 

 to be sedentary in habits, and individuals may be observed in the 

 same vicinity day after day perched above some dense tangle of 

 brush. During winter it indulged in occasional snatches of song, but 

 wuth the coming of spring gave utterance to the melody that caused 

 such pleasure and admiration in Hudson and occasioned his eulogy of 

 its vocal powers. The song strongly resembles that of Mimus poly- 

 glottos^ and is accompanied frequently by aerial gyrations, in which 

 the birds spring into the air and support themselves with sIoav beats 

 of the widely opened wings, that, with the spread tail, display their 

 contrasted markings to the utmost. They are excellent mimics, a 

 frequent imitation being that of the low chur-r-r-ri of the vermilion 

 flycatcher. In ordinary flight the extensive white markings of the 

 tail, with a flash of white in the wings, are prominent characteristics, 

 while in proper light the brown coloration of the back may be dis- 

 tinguished. 



The Anguete Indians called this species pihn mukh. 



A nest found December 26 near Victorica, Pampa, was placed 2 

 meters from the ground in a small shrub near the center of an open 

 thicket. The structure was composed of thorny branches, lined with 

 various soft materials, while a bulwark of coarse, very spiny twigs, 

 erected to a height of 50 mm., protected the rim on all sides. The 

 nest contained six eggs, heavily incubated, of which one is that of 

 Molothrus honariensis. Four of the others, unquestionably those of 

 Alimus tnu7'us, are pale Niagara green, spotted throughout Avith a 

 color varying from Avalnut to Rood's browm, varied with occasional 

 markings of dull lavender. The spots are most numerous at the 

 larger end. These four measure: 26.2 by 18.3; 25.7 by 18.6; 25.5 by 

 18.2; and 25.2 by 18.7 mm. The sixth egg has the background dull 

 white, with a faint greenish tinge, and is blotched boldly with hazel 

 and chestnut brown, with a few markings of light plumbago gray. 

 It is distinctly different in type from the four described above but 

 may be an aberrant ^gg of fnurus. It measures 24.6 by 19.1 mm. 



Young mockers, seen at the end of December, rested quietly on 

 open shaded perches, but hopped alertly to cover among heavy 

 branches when at all alarmed. 



