on the Birds of Chili. 315 



universal local name is the Spanish term " Perdiz/" and by 

 this name the present species is well known throughout 

 Central and Southern Chili. In the former it is undoubt- 

 edly aboriginal, and is more or less preserved by the land- 

 owners; but in Arauco it is not so plentiful, as there is less 

 cultivation, and where there is more the local gunners keep 

 it down, and little protection is afforded it. I did not 

 hear of it on Chiloe, but oa going to Puerto Varas on the 

 Laguna Llanquehui I found that a few resorted to the corn- 

 fields of the German colonists. The latter told me that 

 it Avas quite new to the neighbourhood, and said they 

 wished to protect them ; thus it may subsequently extend 

 much further south. I found it extremely numerous about 

 Rio Bueno and Osorno, which is a great wheat district ; but, 

 so far as I could learn, it had come there subsequently to the 

 cultivation of the land, and is still spreading very rapidly. 

 About Valdivia the " Perdiz " has scarcely appeared, but I 

 believe there are few in that district. 



The call- note of this bird is a loud whistle, or rather two 

 whistling notes on an ascending scale uttered rapidly in 

 succession, and is heard frequently throughout the breeding- 

 season. When flushed it utters the most piercing cries, and 

 flies steadily with rapid beat of the wings, alighting from 

 200 to 10,000 yards distant. It runs considerably before 

 a dog, and if coppice be near is apt to get into it and 

 skulk away, but in long wheat-stubble it lies fairly well. 

 The nest is placed in wheat or coppice, and usually contains 

 upwards of a dozen eggs. I did not observe more, but an 

 old peasant at Rio Bueno assured me he had seen twenty 

 eggs in one nest, I had various young ones (half-grown) in 

 an outhouse at Rio Bueno which throve fairly well on wheat, 

 &c., with a few worms ; but the rats generally killed them 

 within a few days, and I had not time to devote to their 

 efficient management, else I could have brought several 

 home alive. 



It nested near Llanquehui about Dec. 1st, and subse- 

 quently at Rio Bueno I got eggs up to the end of February ; 

 I fancy two clutches are produced. 



z2 



