398 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



in females, ciilmen 19.3-20 mm.; depth of bill 13.5-14 mm. Ber- 

 lepsch "^ has noted that skins from Mendoza differ from typical 

 aurantiirostris, and also includes Cordoban specimens as similar. 

 The typical subspecies is found to the north in Tucuman and Salta. 



GUBERNATRIX CRISTATA (VieiUot) 



Coccothraustes cristata Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat, vol. ]P>, 1S17, 

 p. 531. (29° S. Lat., Argentina.)"" 



At Victorica, Pampa, this handsome cardinal was fairly common 

 from December 27 to 29, 1920, and two males were prepared as skins. 

 As this was the breeding season males were singing from perches 

 among leaves in the tops of trees, a loudly whistled song, cheering in 

 tone, and somewhat cardinallike, that may be represented as wir-tu 

 toir-tu tse hum wir-tu. Their usual call was a Ioav tsif. They held 

 the crest erect and presented a handsome, spirited appearance. The 

 flight was undulating. 



On January 25 and 31, 1921, several were seen near San Vicente, 

 Uruguay, and on February 2 a male was taken at the Paso Alamo, 

 on the Arroyo Sarandi. One was seen near Lazcano, Rocha, on 

 February 7. 



A male, taken December 27, had the base of the mandible dawn 

 gray; rest of bill black; iris natal brown; tarsus and toes dull black. 



PHEUCTICUS AUREO-VENTRIS (d'Orbigny and Lafrcsnaye) 



Pitylus aureo-ventris cI'Okbigny and Lafeesnaye, Mag. Zool., 1837, cl. 2, 

 p. 84. (Yungas, Sicasica, Bolivia.) 



An adult male in full molt was brought to me by a boy at Tapia, 

 Tucuman, on April 8, 1921. The maxilla was dull black, mandible 

 dawn gray, shaded across gonys with gray number 6; iris carob 

 brown; tarsus and toes dark plumbeus. 



The species is in high repute as a cage bird under the name of 

 reina mora or rey de los pajaros cantadores. It was observed in bird 

 stores in the city of Mendoza, and on April 19 several young birds 

 recently from the nest were offered for sale in the railroad station at 

 Dean Funes, Cordoba. 



CYANOCOMPSA CYANEA ARGENTINA (Sharpe) 



Guiraea cyanea argentina Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. 12, 1888, 

 p. 73. (Fuerte de Andalgala, Catamarca.) 



An adult male, taken July 23, 1920, at Las Palmas, Chaco, has a 

 wing measurement of 83.5 mm., and so agrees with the present form. 



"5 Verb. V. Int. Ornith.-Kongr., 1911, p. 1146. 



^ According to Azara, Apunt. Hist. Nat. Pax. Paraguay, etc., vol. 1, 1802, p. 464. 

 The point mentioned, where Azara recorded three pairs, is assumed to be in the present 

 Province of Corrientes. 



I 



