Birds of Uruguay. 173 



birds. They breed in the trees about the house. A very 

 ate nest contained nearly fledged young on the 5th March ; 

 the old birds to which it belonged were exceedingly bold^ and 

 were continually mobbing one or other of the three white 

 cats belonging to the house. The Bay-wing has a short but 

 very sweet strain, sung in an undertone, reminding one a 

 little of the Linnet's, especially when several were singing 

 together in the trees just before sundown. Many roosted in 

 the patio trees at night. 



*AGELiEUs THiLius. Yellow-shouldcred Marsh-bird. 

 One in the Museum at Montevideo from Uruguay. 



■'^Agel^us flavus. Yellow-headed Marsh-bird. 

 A specimen in the Museum fi'ora Uruguay. 



31. Amblyrhamphus holosericeus. Scarlet-headed 

 Marsh-bird. 



This strikingly handsome species was decidedly scarce in 

 Soriano and Flores, but breeds there. I met with it only on 

 three occasions, viz. : on 1st January, when, after a long chase, 

 I secured a male by the Sauce at Sta. Ana ; on the 7th 

 February, when I shot a young bird in first dress in thin 

 monte along the Arroyo Grande (it was accompanied by 

 others and a pair of adults) ; and on the 27th February, when 

 I secured a pair in some willows at Sta. Elena. 



32. PsEUDOLEisTEs viRESCENs. Yellow-brcasted Marsh- 

 bird. 



Common and resident. In spring they haunt the low 

 banks of rivers and canadas, and look very pretty clinging to 

 the tall rushes on the banks of some laguna. They are very 

 sociable, and even in mid-November they are seen in little 

 flocks feeding out in the camp. The nests are built among 

 rushes and other Avater-plants. On the ground they run, 

 but also hop sometimes ; the tail is elevated when the birds 

 are on the ground . After the breeding-season they are seen in 

 flocks about the camp, and at sundown go down to the river 

 to roost in the bushes, but from February onwards numbers 

 used to come to roost in the estancia trees, the lower acacias 



