34 Mr. Ambrose A. Lane — Field-Notes 



found in every part of Chili that I visited, frequenting 

 forests, gardens, and bushes or shrubs of any sort. It is 

 generally known as the " Vio/' on account of its whistle or 

 call- note, which is very characteristic. About Hospital it 

 was called the " Chiflador,^^ which might either mean whistler 

 or cutter, the former from its note, or the latter from its 

 destructive habits in gardens, where it picks oflF the buds of 

 fruit-trees, though whether it does so in search of insects or 

 not I cannot say. I observed a number in the gardens at 

 Pica about the commencement of March, but later on I 

 could not find one there. I did not see any whilst in 

 Arauco during the cold season, but later on they appeared 

 at Corral about the beginning of November (1890). 



At first, after making their appearance at Corral, the birds 

 kept very quiet and well out of sight in the bushes, but soon 

 they appeared to have got over the effects of their journey and 

 made themselves heard all through the forest. They appear 

 to range a good way south, and are found on Chiloe during 

 the summer season, migrating north in winter. On first 

 seeing this bird I thought it was a Finch, from the stoutness 

 of the bill and its brisk manners. It usually has the head- 

 feathers erect, which makes the white fleck on the head very 

 conspicuous. It captures insects on the Aving in the same 

 manner as the " Diucon,^^ and makes the same snapping noise 

 (at least when flying at insects). It does not, however, 

 appear, like the former species, to rely on this method of 

 feeding, but is continually searching about leafy branches 

 for what it may find about the leaves. It also eats berries, 

 especially those of the mar qui, in the south when in season. 

 It is not so much seen as heard, as it always flits through 

 the leaves and flies out at insects, quickly retreating to 

 its hiding-place. I saw one catch a good-sized butterfly. 

 They sometimes go through more ludicrous antics even than 

 the Diucon, swooping and twisting backwards, and occa- 

 sionally fluttering through intricate branches as if shot and 

 wounded. 



The nest is usually placed in a low thick bush or shrub, 

 2 to 4 feet from the ground. Only two eggs are laid. 



