SCREAMING FINCH 45 



range among Finches, From personal observation 

 I can only speak of fifteen species. 



The Glaucous Finch was to me a rare bird, and 

 its massive beak and rich blue plumage give to it a 

 highly interesting appearance ; but about its habits 

 I have little to tell, for it is essentially a bird of the 

 wild forest, seldom coming near the abodes of man, 

 and being, moreover, shy in disposition, it is difficult 

 to observe even in its haunts. It is migratory, and is 

 usually seen singly or in pairs, or in small companies 

 of four or five individuals* The male sings, but his 

 performance is merely a confused medley of chat- 

 tering notes, uttered in so low a tone that they can 

 scarcely be heard at a distance of twelve yards. 



Another species of Guiraca, the Indigo Finch, G. 

 cyanea,is found in the northern province of Catamarca. 



SCREAMING FINCH 



Spermophila cxrulescens 



Above pale smoky brown ; front and lores black ; beneath, upper 

 part of throat black, with white mystical stripe on each side ; fore- 

 neck white ; broad black band across the chest ; abdomen and under 

 wing-coverts white; length 4.8 inches. Female pale olive-brown; 

 beneath lighter, tinged with ochraceous. 



THIS species is a summer visitor in Buenos Ayres, 

 and is one of the last to arrive and first to depart of 

 our migrants. These birds are always most abundant 

 in plantations, preferring peach-trees, but do not 

 associate in flocks : they are exceedingly swift and 



