136 BIRDS OF LA PLATA 



The songsters, all included in the sub-order Oscines t 

 rank higher in the scale as having a developed vocal 

 organ, and the Old World Flycatchers rank with 

 Thrushes and Nightingales in this division* The 

 fact remains, however, that many species in this 

 highest sub-order are songless or are mere croakers 

 or chatterers, whereas some of the Tyrant Birds 

 have set songs and are sweet singers* The Tyrants 

 in South America number over 360 known species 

 probably 400 would be nearer the right number now. 

 There is a great variety in the size, form, and habits 

 of different genera. There are among them birds 

 with strong legs which seek their food on the ground, 

 like Thrushes and Chats, which they resemble ; 

 and there are others, also ground feeders, that perch 

 on bushes and trees and watch the ground below 

 until they spy an insect, then drop upon and capture 

 it and return to the same perch. Others watch for 

 flying insects and capture them in the manner of 

 our European Flycatchers, and many others have 

 the food-seeking habits of our Leaf- Warblers. 



Of the sixty or seventy species found in the Argen- 

 tine country, I am acquainted with twenty-seven, 

 and the largest of them is the Chocolate Tyrant first 

 described. 



There is a striking resemblance to a Thrush in 

 this species, when one sees it running on the ground 

 with its beak somewhat elevated ; but when it stands 

 or perches, opening and closing its broad tail with a 

 graceful fan-like motion, the resemblance to the stiff 

 automatic Turdus grows less, and when it flies 



