8o6 



PATAGONIAN EXPEDITIONS: ZOOLOGY. 



becoming black on head, tinged with blue, which is strongly pronounced 

 on the ear coverts ; superciliaries greenish buff, vertical spot crimson, 

 wings and tail blackish, inner web of wing feathers and outer web of ter- 

 tials as well as some of the greater coverts white, outer tail feathers, outer 

 web of next pair and tips of some of the others white ; under parts ochra- 

 ceous yellow, whiter on the throat, crissum crimson. A velvety black band 

 extends from behind the shoulder across the breast but is interrupted in 

 the middle by the long yellow feathers ; bill and feet black. 



Fig. 394. Tachuris rubrigastra ruhrigastra, 'x, 7929. About two-thirds natural size. 



Geographical Range. — Southern Brazil and western Peru to Paraguay, 

 Argentina, Chile and Patagonia (Rio Negro). 



The Princeton Expedition obtained two on the Rio Chico in March. 



E. W. White says: "These pretty little birds frequent in considerable 

 numbers the rushes on some lagoons near La Plata. They skip from 

 reed to reed about a foot above the surface of the water, all the while ut- 

 tering a peculiar creaking little note, much resembling that of the cricket. 

 At Cosquin, however, I obtained only one specimen ; and that was on the 

 river." (P. Z. S. 1883, p. 39.) 



A. A. Lane says: "This species is fairly numerous throughout central 

 Chile, though confined to suitable localities. In the south it is scarcer, 

 occurring more as a summer migrant, though it is resident near Coronel. 

 At Valdivia it comes every summer to the reed-beds by the river, but 



