224 BIRDS OF LA PLATA 



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of its note, and Ahumbi (the Guarani name) ; but 

 its best-known name is Lenatero, or " Firewood- 

 gatherer/' from the quantity of sticks which it collects 

 for building purposes. 



The Firewood-gatherer is a resident in Argentina, 

 and pairs for life. Sometimes the young birds remain 

 with their parents for a period of three or four 

 months, all the family going about and feeding in 

 company, and roosting together in the old nest. 

 The nest and the tree where it is placed are a favourite 

 resort all the year round. Here the birds sit perched 

 a great deal, and repeat at intervals a song or call, 

 composed of four or five loud ticking chirps, followed 

 by a long trilling note. They feed exclusively on 

 the ground, where they creep about, carrying the 

 body horizontally and intently searching for insects. 

 When disturbed they hurry to their usual refuge, 

 rapidly beating their very feeble wings, and expanding 

 the broad acuminated tail like a fan. When the male 

 and female meet at their nest, after a brief separation, 

 they sing their notes in concert, as if rejoicing over 

 their safe reunion; but they seldom separate, and 

 Asara says that when one incubates, the other sits 

 at the entrance to the nest, and that when one 

 returns to the nest with food for the young the 

 other accompanies it, though it has found nothing 

 to carry. 



To build, the Anumbi makes choice of an isolated 

 tree in an open situation, and prefers a dwarf tree 

 with very scanty foliage ; for small projecting twigs 

 and leaves hinder the worker when carrying up 



