on the Birds of Chill. 17 



mistaken for them by a casual observer. P. atriceps is 

 somewhat larger, and its deep-black head distinguishes it, 

 this part being in P. gayiofa dark slate-colour. Even their 

 notes appear identical, though I heard the male of P. gayi 

 utter a simple melody on a few occasions during summer, 

 which performance I did not notice in the other species. 

 In Southern Chili the present species feeds a good deal on 

 the ground underneath bushes. 



The favourite haunts of these birds are the sides of ravines 

 or abrupt hollows, covered with thick bush of a seed-bearing 

 nature, and small cliffs covered with creepers. They do not 

 occur on open stretches, but are often numerous in partially- 

 cleared localities, where coppice has taken the place of the 

 large timber previously cut down or burnt. I never could 

 find their nests. I frequently saw them in confinement, 

 in aviaries. When crossing thci Andes, from Santiago to 

 Mendoza, I found this bird numerous on the Argentine 

 side, where it feeds on the ground on the barren mountain- 

 slopes. 



6. Phrygilus atriceps (d^Orb. etLafr.). 



Phrygilus atriceps, Sharpe, B. M. C. xii. p. 786; Sclater, 

 P. Z. S. 1891, p. 133. 



(Sacaya and Huasco.) 



Abundant about Sacaya, and fairly so about Huasco and 

 other localities in Tarapaca. The adult male, when in full 

 colour, is a very beautiful bird, and is perhaps slightly larger 

 than the female. The iris is hazel. These birds frequent 

 the low bushes which border the valley, and feed principally 

 on the ground, where they pick up seeds of the bushes and 

 mountain grasses. Their note of alarm is a click, which can 

 be imitated by pressing the tongue against the palate and 

 then withdrawing it ; sometimes it has a double sound. 

 They have other call-notes, but, so far as I could ascertain, 

 nothing resembling a dong. 



I found them between 10,000 and 12,000 feet, and in 

 Tarapaca only. 



SER. VII. VOL. III. c 



