REED TYRANT 167 



feet, if suddenly startled, and after a few moments 

 spent in circling like a Snipe, they drop again almost 

 as suddenly as a shot, and as if from the very clouds/' 



REED TYRANT 



Hapalocercus flaviventris 



Above mouse-brown ; wings and tail rather darker, with edgings 

 like the back ; vertex more or less tinged with rufous ; beneath yellow ; 

 under wing-coverts pale yellow ; bill and feet black ; length 4 inches. 



THIS little bird is rarely met with in the desert 

 pampas, but throughout the settled portion of the 

 Buenos- Ayrean province it is one of the most common 

 species of the Tyrannidx. It arrives from the north 

 in September, and is very regular in its migrations, 

 although apparently a very feeble flier. It frequents 

 open grounds abounding in thistles, tall weeds, or 

 bushes, and is consequently most abundant about 

 houses. It is extremely active, and occasionally darts 

 after a passing insect, and captures it on the wing, 

 especially soft insects, like moths and butterflies, to 

 which it is most partial* It subsists principally, how- 

 ever, on small caterpillars and spiders, for which 

 it searches diligently among the leaves, after the 

 manner of the Wren, Although belonging to the 

 songless division of the Passeres, this small Tyrant- 

 bird possesses a formal song, which the male utters 

 with great frequency, the only other member of the 

 Tyrant family that I am acquainted with which 



