AMBLYRHAMPHUS HOLOSERICEUS. 101 



while in colour, habits, language, and even in its manner of soaring up 

 like a rocket to let off its curious melody, the male is the most conspi- 

 cuous of small birds, the female, acted on in an opposite direction by 

 natural selection, has been, so to speak, effaced. While flying, they do 

 not look like birds of the same species : the male moves with wings 

 rapidly fluttered, like a Starling, but with a slower, more laborious flight, 

 and without deviating ; the female, in her eccentric movements in the 

 air, reminds one of a large moth driven from its hiding-place, and flying 

 about confused with the glare of noon. 



The nest is made of dry grass on the ground, so cunningly concealed 

 that it is most difficult to find. The eggs are four, white, spotted 

 with reddish brown. When they have young, I have never been able to 

 detect the female flying about in search of food. 



All through the summer these birds are solitary, but when migrating 

 in the autumn, though many are seen travelling singly, and appear very 

 conspicuous as they fly laboriously in a straight line, at an altitude 

 of about twenty yards from the surface, others are seen making their 

 journey in small flocks or parties composed of six to a dozen individuals. 

 These are the males. The females travel separately, in twos or threes or 

 singly, flying nearer to the earth, with frequent pauses, when the wings 

 cease beating, and intervals of gliding, also darting occasionally to one 

 side, as if the bird had suddenly taken fright. 



101. AMBLYRHAMPHUS HOLOSERICEUS (Scop.). 

 (SCARLET-HEADED MARSH-BIRD.) 



Amblyrhamphus holosericeus, Hudson, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 114 (Buenos Ayres) ; 

 Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 37 ; Durnford, Ibis, 1877, p. 174 (Buenos Ayres) ; 

 Gibson, Ibis, 1880, p. 18 (Buenos Ayres) ; White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 602 

 (Buenos Ayres) ; Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl. viii. p. 135 (Entrerios) ; 

 Scl. Cat. B. xi. p. 351. Amblyrhamphus ruber, Burm. La-Plata Reise, 

 ii. p. 491 (Entrerios, Santa Fe, Parana). 



Description. Black ; whole head and neck all round, and upper breast and 

 thighs scarlet ; bill and feet black : total length 9-5 inches, wing 4*5, tail 4*0. 

 Female similar. Young uniform black. 



Hab. Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina. 



Azara named this species Tordo negro cabeza roxa ; it is also called 

 Boyero (ox-herd) by country people, from its note resembling the long 

 whistle of a drover ; and sometimes Chisel-bill, from the peculiar con- 

 formation of the beak, which is long, straight, and has a broad fine 

 point like a chisel. In both sexes the plumage of the head and neck 

 is scarlet, of an exceedingly brilliant tint, all other parts intense black. 



