Birds of Uruguay. 2l3 



wander as far as the maize-chacras after harvest^ they are 

 seldom found far from water and cover. The usual place to 

 meet with them is in the pajouales along the edge of the 

 monte^ into which they are apt to run when disturbed. At 

 the same time I have often seen them, morning and evening, 

 out in the open camp where there is a little low, thin paja, 

 and I once (in autumn) put one up in the quinta at Sta. 

 Elena. On being put up they always make straight for 

 cover and will fly over a '' gun ^' if he happens to be in the 

 direct line of flight. They make a loud noise on rising and 

 beat the wings rapidly at first, a curious sound being pro- 

 duced during flight by the wings, which then beat rather less 

 rapidly than those of the Spotted Tinamu. At close quarters 

 a low whistling note may sometimes be heard as the bird 

 flies away. After the Perdiz grande has flown a little away 

 it sails on motionless wings, but in long flights it has to flap 

 again at intervals as the Perdiz chico does, but the intervals 

 between the flappings are shorter perhaps. The " big Par- 

 tridge,''^ as E nglishmen generally call it, will fly as much as 

 200 or 300 yards or more to gain the monte if the ground 

 slopes down to it, as it generally does. When surprised 

 in open places they walk away rather slowly, but take the 

 first opportunity of slipping into cover ; if they are pressed, 

 then they rise. They permit a very near approach by a 

 man on horseback, and sometimes require pushing closely 

 before they will rise. They " swagger '' somewhat in their 

 walk, unlike the '' small Partridge." The usual note is a 

 whistle, lower in tone than that of the small Partridge. I 

 found in one some small bulbs of a little plant, common 

 in the camp, which would require digging up, and the 

 bird's beak was covered with earth. One which I killed 

 on the Estancia Sta. Adelaida weighed 2| lbs., but about 

 2 lbs. is a more usual weight, I believe. The thanks of 

 naturalists are due to Seiior Don Felix Buxareo for his 

 endeavours to preserve this fine bird. In Southern Argen- 

 tina this bird is called the " Martineta," but in Montevideo 

 market that name is applied only to Calodromas elegans, 

 which is not found in Uruguay. 



SER. VI. — VOL. VI. Q 



