148 TYRANNISE. 



The Bienteveo is in its habits the most interesting member of the 

 Tyrannine family. It would be difficult to find two species more 

 dissimilar in disposition than are the Silver-bill, already described, and 

 the Bienteveo ; the former being like an automaton, having only a few set 

 motions, gestures, and instincts, while the other is versatile in an 

 extraordinary degree, and seems to have studied to advantage the 

 various habits of the Kestrel, Flycatcher, Kingfisher, Vulture, and fruit- 

 eating Thrush; and when its weapons prove weak it supplements 

 them with its cunning. How strange it is that these two species, 

 mentally as widely separated as the Humming-bird and Crow, should 

 be members of the same family ! 



The Bienteveo has a wide range in South America, and inhabits the 

 whole of the Argentine country down to Buenos Ayres, where it is 

 very common. It is resident and lives in pairs, the sexes being always 

 faithful. The body is stout, somewhat large for a Tyrant-bird; the 

 length being nine and a half inches, including the beak, which is a 

 little over an inch in length. The wings are blunt and comparatively 

 short, measuring, when spread, fourteen inches. The head is large, 

 and a broad, black band extends from the beak its entire length, and 

 above this is a pure white stripe ; the crown is black, concealing in its 

 loose, abundant feathers a brilliant yellow crest, which shows only 

 when the bird is excited. The upper plumage, including wings and tail, 

 is pale brown ; the entire under surface sulphur-yellow. In both sexes 

 the plumage is alike. 



In Buenos Ayres the Bienteveo is found in every orchard and 

 plantation ; it is familiar with man and invariably greets his approach 

 with loud notes especially with a powerful three-syllabled cry, in 

 which people fancy there is a resemblance to the words Bien-te-veo 

 (" I see you well ") ; while its big head and beak, and strongly contrasted 

 colours, especially the black and white head-stripes, seem to give it a 

 wonderfully knowing look, as it turns its head from side to side to 

 examine the intruder. It is a loud-voiced garrulous bird, and has a 

 great range of sounds, from grating screams to long, clear, almost 

 mellow call-notes. It has one pretty habit, which brings out strongly 

 the pleasant feature in its character. Though the male and female are 

 greatly attached, they do not go afield to hunt in company, like the 

 Short-winged Tyrant, but separate to meet again at intervals during 

 the day. One of a couple (say the female) returns to the trees where 

 they are accustomed to meet, and after a time, becoming impatient or 

 anxious at the delay of her consort, utters a very long, clear call-note. 

 He is perhaps a quarter of a mile away, watching for a frog beside 

 a pool, or beating, harrier-like, over a thistle-bed, but he hears the 



