166 DENDROCOLAJPTID^E. 



The country people have a variety of names for this common and 

 well-known species. In Buenos Ayres it is usually called Mama-cola 

 (Shake-tail), in Patagonia Caserita (Little House-builder) , and in 

 other places Miner a (Miner) or Caminante (Traveller) , from its habit 

 of running- rapidly along a clean road or bridle-path before a person 

 riding or walking. 



It is a stout little bird, with very short toes quite unsuited for 

 perching, and it does not, in fact, ever perch on a tree, though it 

 manages to cling to a perpendicular bank very well, when engaged in 

 opening its breeding-hole. It is resident and pairs for life, and lives in 

 sterile places, feeding on small insects and spiders. In manner it is 

 very lively, and runs swiftly over the bare ground, stopping very 

 abruptly, then running on again, and at every pause slowly moving its 

 half -open tail up and down. It flies swiftly, close to the ground, and 

 always during its short flight trills out its clear, ringing, rapidly 

 reiterated cry, which in sound resembles the laughter of a child. 



On the grassy pampas the Miners invariably attach themselves to the 

 Vizcacheras as the groups of great burrows made by the large rodent, 

 the Vizcacha, are called ; for there is always a space free from grass 

 surrounding the burrows where the birds can run freely about. In the 

 sides of the deep pit-like entrance to one of these burrows the bird 

 bores a cylindrical hole, from three to six feet long, and terminating in 

 a circular chamber. This is lined with soft dry grass, and five white 

 eggs are laid. 



Though the birds inhabit the Vizcacha village all the year, they seem 

 always to make a fresh hole to breed in every spring, the forsaken holes 

 being given up to the small Swallow, Atticora cyanoleuca. 



177. GEOBAMON RUFIPENNIS, Burm. 



(RED-WINGED MINER.) 



Geobamon rufipennis, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 465 (Parana). 

 Description. Above reddish grey-brown ; lores, rim round the eye, cheeks, 

 and body below white; breast tinged with yellowish grey; wings blackish 

 brown, inner webs ferruginous, with their tips and outer basal edges pale ferru- 

 ginous ; tail bright ferruginous, with a broad black transverse band near the 

 tip ; bill black, base of under mandible and legs pale brown : whole length 7-0 

 inches, wing 4-0, tail 2-0. 



Hab. Parand. 



