400 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



COCCOPSIS CAPITATA (d'Orbigny and Lafrcsnaye) 



Tachyphonus caintatus cI'Orbigny and Lafisesnaye, Mag. Zool., 1837, cL 

 2, p. 29. (Corrientes, Argentina.) 



From true Paroaria the group of species included in Coccopsis "* 

 is distinguished by more slender bill with more strongly curved 

 culmen, less abrupt defiexure at gape, more exposed nostrils, and 

 more strongly rounded tail. The present species is easily told from 

 its congeners by the lack of dark markings on the bill. 



The species was first recorded at Las Palmas, Chaco, July 17, 

 1920. A male was brought to me at the Eiacho Pilaga, Formosa, on 

 August 8, and at Formosa, Formosa, on August 23, several were seen. 

 One was noted near Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay, September 3, and at 

 Kilometer 80 west, where two were prepared as skins, the species 

 was fairly common from September C to 20. To many this bird 

 was known as cardenilla from the supposition that it was the female 

 of Paroaria cristata. 



Coccofsis capitata was found usually in pairs in or near thickets, 

 and fed on the ground in pastures, wet meadows, or the borders of 

 lagoons. The birds many times were wild and difficult to approach,, 

 but at Kilometer 80, in IParaguay, came familiarly about the ranch 

 house. One was observed pulling bits of meat from a bone thrown 

 out from the kitchen. One that I wounded was seized and carried 

 away by a small hawk before I could get to it. The call of this 

 species Avas a low cheio cheio. 



An adult female, taken September 16, had the bill apricot orange, 

 becoming slightly duller at the tip ; iris English red ; tarsus and toes 

 vinaceous tawny; claws natal brown. 



SPOROPHILA CAERULESCENS (Vieillot) 



Pyrrhula Caerulescens Vieillot, Tabl. Encyc. Meth., vol. 3, 1823, p. 1023. 

 (Brazil.) 



This common seed-eater was reported at the following localities: 

 Resistencia, Chaco, July 10, 1920 (adult male taken) ; Las Palmas, 

 Chaco, July 17; La Paloma, Uruguay, January 23, 1921 (adult male 

 taken); San Vicente, Uruguay, January 27 and 31; Lazcano, 

 Uruguay, February 5 to 7 (a pair taken) ; Eio Negro, February 14 

 to 19 (immature female, February 19) ; Tunuyan, Mendoza, March 

 22 to 29. These little birds were found in brush groAvn arroyos, in 

 open thickets, or in weed patches bordering cultivated fields, often in 

 mixed parties with other small finches. When excited they came out 

 on open perches and scolded with jerking tails. At other times they 



99 Coccopsis Reichenbach, Av. Syst. Nat., 1850, pi. 77 ; type, Tanagra gularis Linnaeus. 

 Gray, Cat. Gen. Subgen. Birds, 1855, p. 74. 



