" The nest is generally placed at the end of a brancli of a tala tree, 

 about eight or ten feet from the ground. It is a large shallow construc- 

 tion, built of wild vine tendrils or twigs and wood, and lined with 

 horse-hair. Sometimes the last material greatly predominates ; and I 

 have then seen the nest so frail that one could see through the bottom of 

 it. The uneasy approaches of the birds frequently betray its situation, 

 should an intruder appear in the vicinity. Three is the largest and most 

 usual number of eggs laid. The clutches of eggs vary greatly in appear- 

 ance, and still more so in size. 



" The commonest type measures about U x f^, and in colour is of a 

 brownish ground, thickly marked with brown spots. One clutch of three, 

 in my possession, fitly illustrates the above noted variation. The eggs 

 average 1:;^ x U, while the ground-colour, of which there is a good deal 

 seen, has a greenish tinge ; the spots also incline to the blunt end ; and 

 in addition there is a dark ring there, more or less pronounced." 



Among the notes which I have collected is one " On the Birds from 

 the Argentine Repubhc " written by my lamented friend Mr. B. "W. White, 

 he says it is " A tolerably common bird in the upper Riverine provinces ; 

 and much kept as a cage bird in Buenos Ayres, as it has a very fine 

 whistle, almost rivalhng that of the English Blackbird in power, but not 

 in variety." 



Specimens examined. 



(?) M.M. Brazil. 00 36 00 10 055 



The figures (Plate I.) are taken from h and d, life size. 



