SCREAMING FINCH 45 
range among Finches. From personal observation 
I can only speak of fifteen species. 
The Glaucous Finch was to me a rare bird, and 
its massive beak and rich blue plumage give to it a 
highly interesting appearance; but about its habits 
I have little to tell, for it is essentially a bird of the 
wild forest, seldom coming near the abodes of man, 
and being, moreover, shy in disposition, it is difficult 
to observe even in its haunts. It is migratory, and is 
usually seen singly or in pairs, or in small companies 
of four or five individuals. The male sings, but his 
performance is merely a confused medley of chat- 
tering notes, uttered in so low a tone that they can 
scarcely be heard at a distance of twelve yards. 
Another species of Guiraca, the Indigo Finch, G. 
cyanea, is found in the northern province of Catamarca. 
SCREAMING FINCH 
Spermophila cerulescens 
Above pale smoky brown; front and lores black; beneath, upper 
part of throat black, with white mystical stripe on each side; fore- 
neck white; broad black band across the chest ; abdomen and under 
wing-coverts white; length 4.8 inches, Female pale olive-brown ; 
beneath lighter, tinged with ochraceous. 
THIS species is a summer visitor in Buenos Ayres, 
and is one of the last to arrive and first to depart of 
our migrants. These birds are always most abundant 
in plantations, preferring peach-trees, but do not 
associate in flocks: they are exceedingly swift and 
