208 TINAMID^E. 



Hab. Southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Northern Argentina. 



White refers a Tinamou which he shot at Oran in November 1880 

 to Cry p turns cinereus. There can be little doubt, however, that the 

 specimen in question really belonged to the allied species C. obsoletus, 

 which is known to occur in Paraguay. The true C. cinereus is from a 

 much more northern locality, and is not likely to be found in Argentina. 



426. CRYPTURUS TATAUPA (Temm.). 

 (TATAUPA TINAMOU.) 



Crypturus tataupa, Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 152 ; Salvin, Ibis, 1880, p. 364 

 (Salta) ; White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 629 (Oran). Ynambu tataupa, Azara, 

 Apunt. iii. p. 48. 



Description. Above chestnut-brown ; head and neck dark cinereous : beneath 

 cinereous ; throat white ; middle of belly white ; flanks and crissum varied with 

 undulating bars of black and white; bill yellowish; feet dark ashy: whole 

 length 10-0 inches, wing 5*2, tail 1*8. Female similar. 



Hab. South Brazil, Paraguay, and Northern Argentina. 



The Tataupa Tinamou was first described by Azara as an inhabitant 

 of Paraguay, whence it extends into the northern provinces of the 

 Argentine Republic. White obtained specimens among the under- 

 growth in the dense forests of Campo Colorado, near Oran, and Durn- 

 ford also met with it near Salta. 



To Azara' s interesting account of the Tataupa' s habits nothing has 

 been recently added. He says that this species inhabits woods and 

 thickets, and also approaches houses where it finds cover hence the 

 Guarani name, which means a bird of the house. It lays four eggs of 

 a fine purple colour ; and when driven from the nest flutters along the 

 ground, feigning lameness. It sings all the year round, and for power 

 and brilliance of voice is preeminent among this class of birds. After 

 the first note of its curious song there is an interval of eight seconds of 

 silence ; then the note is repeated with shorter and shorter intervals, 

 until, becoming hurried, they run into a trill, followed by a sound 

 which may be written chororo, repeated three or four times. When 

 sitting close it tips forward, pressing its breast on its legs, so that the 

 rump is raised higher than the back, and opening the terminal feathers 

 of the body, it spreads them in a semicircle over the back as if to 

 conceal itself beneath them, and when looked at from behind nothing 

 is visible except this fan of feathers. The feathers are concave with 

 points inclining upward, and when thus disposed have a strange and 

 beautiful appearance. 



