150 TYRANNID,E. 



also pounded until the shell breaks. In spring they sometimes join 

 the train of hooded gulls, guira cuckoos, cow-birds, and various other 

 kinds which follow the plough to pick up worms and larvae ; but on 

 the ground the Bienteveo is awkward in its motions, for it cannot run 

 like the Tyrant-birds with terrestrial habits, but only hops. At 

 estancia houses, when a cow is slaughtered, it comes in with the fowls, 

 milvago hawks, and dogs, for small pickings, being very fond of fresh 

 meat. It is a common thing to see a Bienteveo following a rural 

 butcher's cart, and waiting for an opportunity to dash in and carry off 

 any small piece of meat or fat it is able to detach. In the autumn 

 they feed very much on ripe fruit, preferring grapes, which they can 

 swallow whole, and figs, which are soft and easily eaten. 



In its nidification the Bienteveo also departs widely from the, so to 

 speak, traditional habits of its congeners; for whereas most Tyrants 

 make small shallow nests, this species makes a very big elaborate domed 

 structure, and sometimes takes five or six weeks to complete it. It is 

 placed in a tree, without any attempt at concealment, and is about a 

 foot deep and eight or nine inches broad, and composed of a variety of 

 soft materials, chiefly wool. The entrance is placed near the top. 

 Outside, the nest has a very disorderly appearance, as there are always 

 long straws and sometimes rags hanging down ; the cavity is deeply 

 lined with feathers, and is the hottest nest I know. The eggs are five, 

 very long, pointed, cream-coloured, and spotted, chiefly at the large 

 end, with chocolate and purple. 



159. MYIODYNASTES SOLITARIUS (VieilL). 

 (SOLITARY TYRANT.) 



Myiodynastes solitarius, Scl et Salv. Nomencl p. 50 j Durnford, Ibis, 1877, 

 p. 178, et 1878, p. CO (Buenos Ayres) ; White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 607 (Salta) j 

 Harrows, Bull Nutt. Orn. CL vol. viii. p. 201 (Entrerios). 



Description. Above grey, thickly covered with numerous black shaft-spots ; 

 concealed vertical crest yellow ; lores and sides of the head black, superciliaries 

 white : wings blackish, primaries slightly edged with rufous, coverts arid second- 

 aries margined externally with greyish white ; tail blackish, with narrow ex- 

 ternal margins of ferruginous; below greyish white, with numerous black 

 striations : belly and under wing-coverts tinged with yellowish and but slightly 

 striated ; bill brown, feet blackish : whole length 7'5 inches, wing 4-4, tail 3-4. 



Hob. Brazil, Paraguay, Buenos Ayres. 



Durnford tel]s us that this species is a summer visitor to the neigh- 

 bourhood of Buenos Ayres, but not very common. White met with it 



