CISTOTHORUS PLATENSIS. 15 



whole sermon-time, pouring out its bright lyric strains from its perch 

 high up somewhere in the ornamental wood-work of the roof. 



The Wren sings all summer, and also on bright days in winter. The 

 song is not unlike that of the English House- Wren, having the same 

 gushing character, the notes being strong and clear, and uttered with 

 rapidity and precision; but the Argentine bird has greater sweetness 

 and more power. 



In spring the male courts his mate with notes high and piercing as 

 the squeals of a young mouse ; these he repeats with great rapidity, 

 fluttering his wings all the time like a moth, and at intervals breaking 

 out into song. 



The nest is made in a dark hole in a wall or tree, sometimes in the 

 forsaken domed nest of some other bird ; and where such sites are not to 

 be found, in a dense thistle or thorn-bush, or in a large tussock of grass. 

 I have also found nests in dry skulls of cows and horses, in an old boot, 

 in the sleeve of an old coat left hanging on a fence, in a large-necked 

 bottle, and in various other curious situations. The nest is built of 

 sticks and lined with horse-hair or feathers, and the eggs are usually 

 nine in number, of a pinkish ground-colour, thickly spotted with pale red. 



13. TROGLODYTES AUKICULABJS, Cab. 

 (EARED WREN.) 



Troglodytes (Uropsila) auricularis, Cab. Journ. f. Orn. 1883, p. 105, t. ii. 

 fig.l. 



Description. In habit and size near the European "Wren, T. parvulus, but 

 peculiar for the blackish-brown hinder half of the ear-coverts and its broad 

 white superciliaries. Upper surface and flanks brown ; throat and middle of 

 belly whitish, tinged with brownish yellow ; wings and tail with fine black 

 cross bands ; crissum with broader black and white cross bands. (Cabanis.) 



Hob. Tucuman. 



This is a recent discovery of Herr Schulz in the Sierra of Tucuman. 

 We have not yet met with specimens of it. 



14. CISTOTHORUS PLATENSIS (Lath.). 

 (PLATAN MARSH-WREN.) 



Cistothorus platensis, Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S. 1869, p. 158 ; iid. Nomencl p. 7 

 Durnford, Ibis, 1877, p. 168 (Buenos Ayres) ; Doring, Exp. al Rio Neyro, 

 ZooL p. 37 (R. Sauce, R. Colorado, R. Negro) ; Sorrows, Bull Nutt. Orn. Cl. 



