352 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



MIMUS SATURNINUS MODULATOR (Gould) 



Orpheus modulator Gould, Proc. Zool. Soe. London, 1836, p. 6. (Mouth of 

 Rio de la Plata, Montevideo, and Maldonado, Uruguay.)*^ 



Six skins preserved include a pair from Lavalle, Buenos Aires, shot 

 November 13, 1920; a pair from San Vicente, Uru<^uay, secured 

 January 25 and 27, 1921 ; and immature male and adult female from 

 Eio Negro, February 18 and 19. The two from Lavalle (wing, male, 

 120 mm.; female 117.8 mm.) are in breeding plumage. Adults from 

 San Vicente (wing, male, 121 mm.; female 110 mm.) that, from their 

 locality, may be considered typical, are considerably worn but re- 

 semble in color those from Buenos Aires, An adult female from 

 Kio Negro is in full molt, as is an immature male from the same 

 locality (wing, 121.5 mm.). 



The present form was common in tala woods near the town of 

 Lavalle, but was local as it was not noted at the Estancia Los 

 Yngleses, a few miles distant. In Uruguay it was common in 

 brushy regions. Young recently from the nest were seen at La 

 Paloma, January 23. 



MIMUS SATURNINUS CALANDRIA (d'Orbigny and Lafresnaye) 



Orpheus calandria d'OKBiGNY and Lafresnaye, Mag. Zool., 1837, cl. 2, 

 p. 17. (Corrientes, Argentina.) 



Two adult males from the Riacho Pilaga, Formosa, shot August 7, 

 1920, have a wing measurement, respectively, of 105.2 and 109.6 

 mm. These are dark in color on the back, like M. s. modulator^ and 

 differ from that form only in smaller size. A male taken September 

 25 at Kilometer 200, west of Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay (wing 109 

 mm.), is somewhat browner above, indicating perhaps an approacli 

 to M. s. f rater, '^^ but is nearer to calandria. 



The present form was a bird of the open that was recorded in the 

 Chaco upon comparatively fcAv occasions. Near the Riacho Pilaga 

 I found half a dozen feeding in an old cornfield, or on another occa- 

 sion noted several running about on open ground. When flushed 

 they uttered a sharp, scolding check check. Occasionally they were 

 heard giving a mockerlike song, though the season was winter. At 

 times, in singing, one sprang into the air to hover for a few seconds 

 with slowly vibrating wings. Several observed in company at the 

 border of a marsh in the Paraguayan Chaco flew immediately to 

 heavy cover. 



*2 See Hellmayr, Nov. Zool., vol. 21, February, 1914, p. 159. Type-locality given 

 erroneously by Gould as Straits of Magellan. 



*^ Mimus saturninus frater Hellmayr, Verb. K. K. Zool.-bot. Ges. Vienna, May 22, 

 1903, p. 220. (Ypanema, Sao Paulo, Brazil.) 



