RHYNCHOTUS RUFESCENS. 209 



427. RHYNCHOTUS RUFESCENS (Temm.). 

 (GREAT TINAMOU.) 



Rhynchotus rufescens, Burin. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 498 (Parana, Rosario, 

 Tucuman) ; Scl et Sulv. Nomencl p. 153 ; Hudson, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 546 

 (Buenos Ayres) ; Durnford, Ibis, 1877, p. 203 (Buenos Ayres) : Barrows, 

 Auk, 1884, p. 317 (Entrerios) j Withington, Ibis, 1888, p. 473 (Lomas de 

 Zamora). 



Description. Above cinereous ; head, wings, and back crossed by black bars 

 with pale ochraceous edgings ; neck reddish ; primaries chestnut : beneath pale 

 cinereous, strongly tinged with rufous on the neck and breast ; chin white ; 

 bill ashy, beneath at base yellowish ; feet dark flesh-colour : whole length 

 14-0 inches, wing 9'5, tail 3*0. Female similar, but larger. 



Hab. South Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. 



This large Tinamou, known to the Argentines as the Perdiz grande, 

 or f< Great Partridge," is found on the pampas wherever long grasses 

 abound, and extends as far south as the Colorado river, its place being 

 taken in Patagonia by Calodromas elegans. It is never met with in 

 woods or thickets, and requires no shelter but the giant grasses, 

 through which it pushes like a Rail. Wherever the country becomes 

 settled and the coarse indigenous grasses are replaced by those of 

 Europe, it quickly disappears, so that it is already extinct over a 

 great portion of the Buenos Ayrean pampas. 



This species is solitary in its habits, conceals itself very closely in the 

 grass, and flies with the greatest reluctance. I doubt if there is any- 

 where a bird with such a sounding flight as the Tinamou ; the whir of 

 its wings can only be compared to the rattling of a vehicle driven at 

 great speed over a stony road. From the moment it rises until it 

 alights again there is no cessation in the rapid vibration of the wings ; 

 but, like a ball thrown by the hand, the bird flies straight away with 

 extraordinary violence until the impelling force is spent, when it slopes 

 gradually towards the earth, the distance it is able to accomplish at a 

 flight being from 800 to 1500 yards. This flight it can repeat when 

 driven up again as many as three times, after which the bird can rise 

 no more. 



The call of the Large Partridge is heard, in fine weather, at all 

 seasons of the year, especially near sunset, and is uttered while the 

 bird sits concealed in the grass, many individuals answering each other; 

 for although I call it a solitary bird, it being a rare thing to see even 

 two together, many birds are usually found living near each other. 

 The song or call is composed of five or six notes of various length, with 

 a mellow flute -like sound, and so expressive that it is, perhaps, the 

 sweetest bird-music heard on the pampas, 



VOL. H. F 



