AVES THINOCORYTHID/E. 



241 



Fig. I 



Under parts : Warm cinnamon as described in marking and pattern. 

 Bill dull horn color (dry skin). Tarsi and feet dull brown. P. U. O. C. 

 7918 c?, Arroyo Gio, Patagonia, 27 May, 1898. The sexes are alike in 

 color and size. 



Young birds are more uniform in color above, owing to the extreme 

 fineness of the vermiculation, and of a general sandy cinnamon in tone. 

 Below the barring is not so defined, the cinnamon color pre- 

 ponderating. Feet and bill pale brown. P. U. O. C. 7919, 

 Patagonia. No sex. Moulting from down to first plumage. 



Geographical Raiige. — Northern Patagonia, as far south as 

 the region south of Lake Buenos Aires and the Santa Cruz 

 River. Chili and Peru. 



A 1 1 a g i s 



The Princeton University Expeditions to Patagonia found gayi. Foot, 



this grouse-like plover in the foothills of the Cordilleras and aboutonehalf 



on the pampas in the vicinity of Lake Buenos Aires. Mr. "^tural size. 



. P u o c 

 Hatcher writing of it says : " Found over the pampas and in ' ' ., .. 



the valleys, more especially where there is a warm sandy soil female. 

 with considerable bush. Not common, especially south of 

 the Santa Cruz River where it was only seen at two localities." (J. B. 

 Hatcher in manuscript field-notes.) Unfortunately a half grown young 

 bird is without a label and there are no notes as to its time of capture. 

 The birds are known in the high Andes (see De Murs, Faun. Chil. Zool. 

 I. p. 384, 1847) where they have been found breeding. 



Darwin says : "A specimen was given me which was shot on the lofty 

 Cordillera of Coquimbo, only a little below the snow-line. At a similar 

 height, on the Andes, behind Copiapo, which appear so absolutely desti- 

 tute of vegetation, that any one would have thought that no living 

 creature could have found subsistence there, I saw a covey. Five birds 

 rose together, and uttered noisy cries ; they flew like grouse, and were 

 very wald. I was told that this species never descends to the lower 

 Cordillera. These two species in their respective countries, occupy the 

 place of the ptarmigan of the Northern Hemisphere." (Darwin, Voyage 

 of the "Beagle," Birds, page 117, 1841.) 



