Aviis — I'iciD.v:. 733 



|)iii[; nectar; these the /'. i^/ot/s attacks with all its (nice, and hy llullerinL; 

 its wings, rusliing at, pusliing and |)eckin_L; tlu:ni, succeeds in ridding the 

 spot of their j)resence. 



"I'hc noti: of this bird is sinular to the (liirp o( a younj^ Spariow, hut 

 much stronger. 



"These birds, like animals generally in the Aigi:ntinc: kepublie, take no 

 notice of a person m()untc:d, but instantly disappear when a foot-passc-nger 

 apj)roaches ; so that as I was on midcbaik I was enabled to ride (lose up 

 to and observe them. 



"The seat of /\ i^r/iras is so linn and (lose to the bran( h that its tiny 

 feet are invisible; the breast is ixilled out, and its head in continual mo- 

 tion from (jnc side to the other with a jerky movt:nient. When disturbed 

 it darts off around with a rough jerky Ihght for a minule or so, and then 

 endeavours to return, but, if still interfered with, seeks a dry twig at the 

 top of some neighbouring tree on whiih to alight. Its ])oise when sus- 

 pended, sipping at the flowers, is heavy and laboured, and the motion of 

 its large wings, although rapid, is perce|)tible to the eye ; and it never re- 

 mains more than half a nu'nute in this position, when it retires to a branch 

 to rest for at least five nn'nutes, perching with its head towards the sun 

 and its beak slightly elevated." 



Siihonlu- PICI. 



Sharpe, Classif. lids. p. 84 (1891); Sharpe, Hand-last lids. ii. p. 200 



(1900). 



I'.'iniily Picin/i-:. 



Ilargitt, Cat. lids, lirit. Mus. xviii. j). 2 (1890) ; Sharpe, Hand-List lids, 

 ii. p. 200 (1900). 



Subfamily PicfN/i:. 



Hargitt, Cat. Bds. lirit. Mus. ,\viii. p. 9 (1890) ; Sharpe, Hand-List lids. ii. 

 p. 200 (1900). 



C.enus ("OLAi'lL'S .Swainson. 

 Colaptes vSwains. Zo(")l. Jour. 1827, p. 353, type C.iiciiliis (iiiniliis Linn. 



(U'oirrapliical Raiiirc. — North America to Hudson liay and Alaska; 

 Middle America and the West Indies ; South America to Straits of 

 Magellan and Tierra del L'uego. 



