42 Mr. Ambrose A. Lane — Field-Notes 



quickly to the shoulder, or any sudden movement, no matter 

 how slight, be made, they vanish as if the ground had 

 swallowed them, and it is useless to try to get another sight 

 of them. 



These are the celebrated "Chucao^^ of the Indians, who 

 believe so much in them that if on a journey they hear them 

 crow on the left-hand side they will turn back, rather than 

 meet the misfortune that awaits them, whilst if the sound 

 be on the right they proceed, confident of success. 



37. Hylactes tarnii. King. 



Hylades tarnii, Sclater, B. M. C. xv. p. 349. 



(Corral, Rio Bueno, and Puerto Montt.) 



I came on this species first in the province of Arauco, 

 where it is plentiful, especially in the interior, and from 

 thence southward as far as 1 went, also on Chiloe. It 

 is well known by the inhabitants as the " Chucao,^^ though 

 they do not seem to distinguish between it and Pteroptochus 

 rubecula ; on inquiry I was simply told that this species was 

 the " Chucao grande '' or " mas gordo/^ It is, however, in 

 repute with the Indians as a "bird of omen,^' like 

 P. rubecula. It is evidently a resident species. I believe it 

 extends westward to the Cordilleras, as far as the high 

 forests reach. I should call it a species peculiar to the great 

 forest which originally covered Southern Chili. 



The first I obtained at Maquegua (No. 357) was the 

 largest I got ; it was 11 inches long from tip of bill to tip of 

 tail j the bill, from tip to gape or forehead, about 1 inch. 

 Tail 4 inches ; the lateral rectrices appeared to number six 

 each side ; middle two. Primaries ten. Wings short and 

 very rounded, when closed measured about 4*5 inches 

 (shoulder to tip), and when expanded about 14 inches (tip 

 to tip) . Tibia about 2*5 inches, tarsus about 2 ; middle 

 toe about 1 inch, or with claw 1-5; hind toe '9, or with 

 claw about 1-5 inch. Bill and feet black. Iris perhaps 

 Vandyke- brown, but a dark shade. The flesh is very delicate 

 and palatable. 



These birds are most plentiful in pieces of old forest of 



