LITTLE BLACK RED-BACK 165 



LITTLE BLACK RED-BACK 



Centrites niger 



Intense black ; back, except the rump and scapularies, bright chest- 

 nut-red ; length 5 inches. Female, above brown ; back fulvous red ; 

 tail black ; beneath ashy brown. 



THE little Red-backed Tyrant comes nearest to 

 Musdsaxicola mentalis in habits, but does not perch 

 on bushes and trees, and is less gregarious than that 

 bird. It is the smallest of all those varied members 

 of the TyrannidcE family which have abandoned 

 forests and marshes and the pursuit of insects on 

 the wing, to live on the wintry uplands of Pata- 

 gonia, and on the sterile plains bordering on the 

 Andes. 



The male is only five and a quarter inches long. 

 The entire plumage of the male is intensely black, 

 except the back, which is bright chestnut. The 

 inside of the mouth and tongue are vivid orange- 

 yellow. The chestnut colour on the female is pale, 

 the rest of the plumage grey, except the quills, which 

 are dark* 



Its summer home is in the southern portion of 

 Patagonia, but its nesting-habits are not known. In 

 March it migrates north, and is very common every- 

 where on the pampas throughout the winter. They 

 arrive in small parties of three or four, or in little 

 loose flocks of about a dozen individuals, travelling 

 with a swift, low flight. Males, females, and young, 



