BIRDS. 49 



Genus.— SERPOPHAGA. Gould. 



Rostrum capite multo brevius, rectum, subdepressum ; tomiis rectis ; mandibidd 

 superiore subemarghiatd ; naribus basalibus, lateralibus, pilis moUibus cmtich versis 

 partimteclis. Alee breves, concav(e, remige quartdlongissimd. Cauda longinscida 

 subrotundata. Tarsi mediocres squamis duris annulafi; digitis parvis, postico 

 mediano breviore, lateralibus cequalibus, exteriore cum mediano usque ad articidum 

 priorem comiatum. 



1. Serpophaga Parulus. Goidd. 



Muscicapa parulus, KitUtz, Mem, L'Acad. Imp. des Sci. St. Peters. 1831. I. p. 190. PI. 9. 



Sylvia Bloxami, Gray's Zool. Misc. 1831. p. 11. 



Culicivora parulus, LfOrhig. & Lafr. Mag. de Zool. 1837, p. 57. 



This bird is common in central Chile, in Patagonia, and although found in 

 Tierra del Fuego, it is not numerous there. Its specific name is very well chosen, 

 as I saw no bird in South America whose habits approach so near to those of our 

 tom-tits {Parus). It frequents bushes in dry places, actively hopping about them, 

 and sometimes repeating a shrill cry ; it often moves in small bodies of three and 

 four together. In August I found the nest of one in a valley in the Cordillera of 

 central Chile ; it was placed in a bush and was simply constructed. 



2. Serpophaga albo-coronata. Gould. 



S. supra olivacco-brunnea, subtus pallidk fiava ; pileo nigrescenti brunneo, in hoc plu- 

 marum basibus linedque supra oculos alb is ; alis nigrescenti brunneis, primariis 

 august^ olivaceo marginatis, tectricibus lath olivaceo-griseo marginatis, gutture 

 griseo. 



Long. tot. 4 Jj ; alcp, 2; caiuhv, 2; tarsi, -^ ; rosi. -^. 



A stripe of white from the nostrds over each eye; crown of the head brown, the 

 base of all the feathers pure white ; back of the neck, back and upper tail 

 coverts olive brown ; M'ings blackish brown, the external edges of the pri- 

 maries finely margined with olive, and the greater and lesser wing coverts 

 largely tipped with olive grey; tail uniform brown; throat grey; abdomen 

 and under tail coverts pale citron yellow ; bill and feet brown. 



Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, (June). 



