174 Dr. E. A. Goeldi on Myiopatis setnifusca. 



of the host-tree. The second phase consists of the shedding 

 of the seed-shell and the opening of the two cotyledons. 

 The accompanying photograph of a part of the perch (text- 

 fig. 14) will indicate these phenomena better than any verbal 

 description. 



Text-%. 14. 



A portion of the perch from the cage in which the young birds, nearly 

 fully fledged, were confined for close observation of the food 

 furnished by the parents. Notice the numerous seeds adhering 

 to and hanging from the perch, wiped off the beaks of the young 

 birds, some of which are already in the incipient stages of germi- 

 nation. (Natural size.) 



From this it will be clearly seen that onr small species of 

 Tyrant is a vegetarian to a high degree, at least during the 

 nesting-period, and that the principal part of its subsistence 

 at this season consists of the ripe berries of the parasitical 

 Loranthacese. I must not fail to notice the fact that previous 

 personal observations in various parts of Brazil have demon- 

 strated the fondness of some other small birds for the same 

 berries ; for example, in the Organ Mountains every year 

 we could see flocks of the magnificently coloured Procnias 

 tersa busy in the berry-harvest among the tufts of this 

 Neotropical mistletoe. This, however, will cause no surprise, 

 when we recollect that Procnias belongs to the family of the 

 Cotingidse, in which berries form a normal part of the natural 

 food. This is also the case, as my personal observation enables 



