THAMNOPHILUS MAJOR. 203 



crown lengthening to stripes and tinged with 'rufous ; inner wehs of the wing- 

 feathers also spotted on their margins ; whole under surface thickly spotted with 

 pale yellow. 



Hab. Brazil and N. Argentina. 



White met with a single individual of this fine Bush-bird at Con- 

 cepcion, Misiones. It was observed on the ground feeding on a 

 swarm of black ants. 



223. THAMNOPHILUS MAJOR, VieiU. 

 (LARGER BUSH-BIRD.) 



Thamnophilus major, Scl et Salv. NomencL p. 69; White, P. Z. S. 1882, 

 p. 614 (Salta) ; Salvin, Ibis, 1880, p. 359 (Salta). Thamnophilus stagurus', 

 Eurm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 471 (Parana, Tucuman). 



Description. Above black, upper wing-coverts crossed by a row of white 

 spots ; the outer rectrix on each side tipped and barred with white, the other 

 rectrices, excepting the middle pair, spotted with white on their inner webs ; 

 beneath pure white : bill black, feet grey : whole length 8-0 inches, wing 3-6, 

 tail 2-8. Female above rufous, beneath white, lower flanks and under tail- 

 coverts tinged with ochraceous ; tail wholly rufous. 



Hab. Paraguay and N. Argentina. 



White found this species common in the gardens round the town of 

 Oran. He noted the iris as " crimson. 1 " 



Azara's account of this species is prefaced by the following remarks 

 on the birds of this genus known to him in Paraguay : " These birds 

 inhabit only the dense and tangled thickets, and never show themselves 

 outside of their hiding-places, except for a few moments in the early 

 morning and in the evening ; but at no time do they perch high on the 

 trees, but keep always within a few feet of the earth. They live in 

 pairs ; feed solely on insects caught in the bushes which they frequent, 

 or on the ground, on which, however, the bird alights only to pick up 

 its prey, and then returns to the twig to devour it. They are 

 stationary, and fly only from one thicket to another. Many of the 

 species have a similar voice or song, which is singular, powerful, and 

 heard only in the love-season. The call is a trill of a single note 

 rapidly reiterated, and loud enough to be heard half a mile away ; the 

 cry being accompanied by vibratory motions of the wings." 



