MYIOTHERETES RUFIVENTRIS. 113 



Barrows, Bull Nutt. Orn. Cl. viii. p. 140 (Entrerios). Taenioptera varie- 

 gata, Bunn. P. Z. S. 1868, p. 635 (Buenos Ayres) ; Hudson, P. Z. S. 1870, 

 pp. 333, 545, et 1871, p. 260 (Buenos Ayres). 



Description. Above and below smoky grey, clearer on the head and breast ; 

 belly, crissum, and under wing-coverts bright rufous; wings black, inner 

 secondaries bright chestnut terminated with white, outer secondaries black, 

 tipped with white ; wing-coverts grey, margined with white ; tail black, outer 

 margins of external pair of rectrices and tips of all whitish ; two outer primaries 

 emarginated ; bill and feet black : whole length 9-5 inches, wing 6-7, tail 3*8. 

 Female similar, but outer primaries not emarginated. 



Ilab. Patagonia, Argentina, and Paraguay. 



There is a striking resemblance to a Thrush in this species, when one 

 sees it running on the ground with its beak somewhat elevated ; but when 

 it stands or perches, opening and closing its broad tail with a graceful 

 fan-like motion, the resemblance to the stiff automatic Turdus grows 

 less, and when it flies vanishes altogether its long wings being as 

 sharply pointed as those of the Peregrine Falcon, while its motions in 

 the air have a Gull-like grace and buoyancy. 



It is a very pretty bird ; the upper plumage is grey tinged with rufous, 

 the throat pure dark grey, breast and belly rufous, wing-coverts light 

 silvery grey, remiges and rectrices dark. Azara classed it under the 

 name of Pepoaza (banded-wing) with the Twntoptera, to which it 

 comes very near in form, flight, language, and habits, though it has 

 longer legs and runs more on the ground. Its summer home is in 

 Southern Patagonia, but its breeding-habits are not known ; in winter 

 it migrates north, and in May is found scattered over the pampas, where 

 it is usually called by the country people f Chorlo/ a name for all 

 Plovers ; for while running swiftly about on the ground, often associa- 

 ting with flocks of Plover, it has a certain resemblance to them. From 

 the hue of its plumage it is also called ' El Chocolate/ a name I have 

 thought it best to preserve. 



These birds are very sociable, going in small flocks, usually of from 

 half a dozen to twenty individuals ; they are restless and active, and 

 quick and graceful in all their movements, and seek their food on the 

 ground, chiefly coleopterous insects, on the great level plains they 

 inhabit. While on the wing they pursue each other playfully in the 

 air, and also attack and chase passing birds of other kinds, apparently 

 in a sportive spirit. Occasionally they perch on a thistle-top or low 

 bush, but never on trees. Their only language is a long, low, plaintive 

 whistle, heard usually on warm still days in winter. 



VOL. I. 



