260 ELEVEN WEEKS IN NORTH-EASTERN BRAZIL. 



IbiS 'l?f 81 ' next two, but it appeared to be less common. I also saw, and shot, what 

 I believe was a specimen of this bird near Vista Alegre, but did not 

 succeed in finding it. The Brazilians call it " Caboclo," a name applied 

 to the tamed aboriginal Indians in Pernambuco. It may sometimes be 

 seen in Recife in cages with crowds of sundry other Spermophilce, 

 Canaries (Sycalis\ Cardinals (Paroaria), &c. 



32. SPEEMOPHILA GUTTTJEALIS. 



This little Spermopliila was very abundant in the garden at Estancia, 

 frequenting the reedy and marshy parts, where it congregates in small 

 flocks, feeding on the seeds of the grasses, sedges, and other similar plants. 

 I also saw it abundant afterwards at Quipapa, as well as in the low bush- 

 covered country round Garanhuns, so that it is by no means confined to 

 the sea-board or even to the neighbourhood of water. It is often kept 

 as a cage-bird. 



Eyes brown. 



33. SPEEMOPHILA HTPOLEUCA. 



This species of Spermophila is also common and widely distributed, 

 frequenting grassy or open places, and often coming into gardens. It 

 appears to feed mainly on grass-seeds, and is social in its habits. The 

 females are brown. Called by the Brazilians " Papa Cupim," i. e. grass- 

 eater. This name it shares with S. gutturalis. 



Eyes brown ; bill (in the male) fleshy red. 



A closely allied species (S. plumbea, distinguished easily by its smaller 

 and black beak) I never succeeded in identifying for certain in a wild 

 state, though it is greatly esteemed by the Brazilians as a cage-bird. 

 They call it " Patitiva de Parahyba " (those caught at that place being 

 supposed to be particularly excellent songsters) and often pay considerable 

 prices for good singers. The song is loud for the size of the bird and 

 rather pretty, though monotonous, and not at all comparable to a 

 Nightingale's, or even a Red Cardinal's (Cardinal). 



34. VOLATimA JACAEINA. 



This little Pinch, though not very common as a rule, I found widely 



Ibis, 1881, spread, extending from Parahyba and Recife on the coast to Quipapa and 



p. 337. yista Alegre in the interior. The adult males may often be seen singly, 



and they have a peculiar habit of selecting some particular twig on a 



bush or small tree as a pet perch. Here they sit for a long time, 



twittering out a little song of a few notes, and then jumping vertically up 



some little way in the air, and, turning a somersault, alighting in the same 



place. I have watched them on several occasions repeat this performance 



a number of times consecutively, continuing, in fact, till they were 



disturbed. They would then fly off to some other place, and go on with 



