RED-CAPPED BUSH-BIRD 237 



birds* Like the Tyrants and Wood-hewers it is 

 confined to America, but less diffused than those 

 two families, being mostly birds of the tropical 

 forest region. 



The present species is quite common in the eastern 

 provinces of Argentina, and extends south to Buenos 

 Ayres. It is a shy, solitary bird, found in woods 

 and thickets along the shores of La Plata ; and utters 

 occasionally a singular low rasping note, its only 

 language. The nest is a slight shallow structure 

 placed in a low tree ; the eggs are white, thinly 

 spotted with reddish brown.- Probably this species 

 is to some extent migratory, as I have only observed 

 it in the summer season. 



Azara's account of another species, the Larger 

 Bush-bird, Thamnophilus major, which inhabits Para- 

 guay and North Argentina, is prefaced by the fol- 

 lowing interesting remarks on the birds of this genus 

 known to him : 



" These birds inhabit only thz dense and tangled 

 thickets, and never show themselves outside of their 

 hiding-place, except for a few moments in the early 

 morning and in the evening ; but at no time do they 

 perch high on the trees, but keep always within a 

 few feet of the earth. They live in pairs ; feed 

 solely on insects caught in the bushes which they 

 frequent, or on the ground, on which, however, the 

 bird alights only to pick up its prey, and then returns 

 to the twig to devour it. They are stationary, and fly 

 only from one thicket to another. Many of the 

 species have a similar voice or song, which is singular, 



