402 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



SICALIS PELZELNI Sclater 



Sycalis pelselni Sclater, Ibis, 1872, p. 42. (Buenos Aires.) 



The present species, of wide distribution in Argentina, is repre- 

 sented by 12 skins from Avidely separated localities. It was recorded 

 as follows: Berazategui, Buenos Aires, June 29, 1920; Resistencia, 

 Chaco, July 10 to 31 ; Kilometer 182, Formosa, August 21 ; Formosa, 

 Formosa, August 23 and 24; Kilometer 80, west of Puerto Pinasco, 

 Paraguay, September 13 to 18; Lavalle, Buenos Aires, October 23 to 

 November 13; Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, December 13; La Pa- 

 loma, Uruguay, January 23, 1921; San Vicente, Uruguay, January 

 25 to 31 ; Lazcano, Uruguay, February 5 to 9 ; Eio Negro, Uruguay, 

 February 14 ; Tapia, Tucuman, April 6 to 13. 



A pair from Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay, are slightly smaller than 

 specimens from farther south (wing in male, 64 mm.), so that pos- 

 sibly there are two forms in this species. Specimens from Sapucay, 

 Paraguay, and Jujuy, and Resistencia, Chaco, in northern Argen- 

 tina, do not differ in measurements from those from farther south 

 (wing in males from southern localities, 67.8-71.4 mm.) 



Immature males have the streaked sparrowlike plumage of fe- 

 males, and may not acquire the yellow of adult males until their 

 second year, as a male shot at the Estancia Los Yngleses, near 

 Lavalle, Buenos Aires, October 30, 1920, was breeding, though in 

 immature dress. 



These birds were found in pairs or little flocks that fed on the 

 ground in bare spots among bushes, weeds, or clumps of saw grass. 

 When startled they flew with undulating flight to a perch in bushes 

 or low trees where they rested quietly. From October to the end of 

 January males constantly sang an insistent song of pleasing 

 character. 



In eastern Uruguay the birds were common among the extensive 

 palm groves in the lowlands. 



SICALIS ARVENSIS ARVENSIS (Kittlitz) 



Fringilla arvensis Kittlitz, Mem. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Petersbourg, Div. 

 Sav., vol. 2, 1835, p. 470, pi. 4. (Valley of Quillota, Chile.) 



The Tnisto, a widely distributed species, was encountered as follows : 

 Lavalle, Buenos Aires, November 13, 1920 (adult male taken) ; Gen- 

 eral Roca, Rio Negro, November 23 to December 3 (a pair collected) ; 

 Carhue, Buenos Aires, December 15 to 18 (three pairs) ; Carrasco 

 (near Montevideo), Uruguay, January 9 and 16, 1921; La Paloma, 

 Uruguay, January 23; San Vicente, Uruguay, January 27 to 31 

 (juvenile female); Lazcano, Uruguay, February 5 to 8; Tunuyan, 

 Mendoza, March 22 and 23 (immature female). After comparison 

 of these skins, with large series in the United States National 



