in the Chuput Valley, Patagonia. 33 



Sycalis luteiventris. 



Common, usually in flocks. Its nest is of grass, lined 

 with liorseliair_, and is ^jlaced in a tuft of grass or rushes close 

 to the ground. The eggs are four in number. Very com- 

 mon at Ninfas Point. 



ZONOTRICHIA CANICAPILLA'^j Gould. 



Abundant, both in the valley and on the hills, and often 

 to be seen hopping familiarly about the colonists'" cottages. 

 It nests amongst coarse grass or brushwood, making an un- 

 pretending structure of the former material, the finer fibres 

 being jilaced towards the interior. It lays four eggs, mea- 

 suring -8 by "6 of an inch, of a pale green colour, thickly 

 striated with light reddish brown spots, running into each 

 other, and most numerous at the larger end. The eggs of 

 the Chuput species differ from those I have from here of Z. 

 pileata in the character of the markings, which are of a 

 lighter colour and not so distinct, being more blotchy than 

 in Buenos- Ayres examples. The nests are of precisely similar 

 character. 



Agel^us thilius. 



Very common throughout the valley and in every patch of 

 rushy ground. Though I did not discover a nest, birds were 

 undoubtedly breeding in the neighbourhood. 



Sturnella militaris. 



One of the commonest birds in the valley, not being seen 

 on the hills. On the 4th November I took a nest from a 

 tuft of Pampas grass close to the river-bank, containing two 

 eggs. It occurred in some numbers at Ninfas point. 



MOLOTHRUS BONARIENSIS. 



Not uncommon in the valley, frequenting willow-beds and 

 clumps of brushwood. 



* [Mr. Durnford sends a single specimen of this species, wliich we 

 have hitherto supposed to have been based upon the young of Z. inleata. 

 We now see that it is fully entitled to specific rank ; see Sclater's remarks, 

 infra, p. 46, where a figure of it is given, taken from Mr. Durnfori's spe- 

 cimen. — Ed.] 



SER. IV. VOL. I. D 



