AVES CHARADRIID^E 343 



Rhynchcea hilarii, Burm. La Plata Reise, II. p. 504 (1861 : Rio Parana) ; 



C. Burm. An. Mus. Nac. Buenos Aires, III. part X. p. 246 (1888: 



Patagonia); Carabajal, La Patagonia, part II. p. 273 (1900). 

 Rostratula semicollaris, Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. XXIV. p. 690 (1896) ; 



id. Hand-list B. I. p. 167 (1899); Martens, Hamb. Magalh. Sammelr. 



Vog. p. 15 (1900: Patagonia). 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 



Size. Adult male. P. U. O. C. 8809. Ensenada, Argentine Republic 

 April, 1896. S. Pozzi. 



Total length, 8 inches. 



Wing, 4.1 inches. 



Culmen, 1.55 inch. 



Tail, 1.9 inch. 



Tarsus, 1.45 inch. 



The sexes do not vary appreciably in size nor does there seem a wide 

 range of individual variation in this respect. 



Color. General color dark sooty brown above; below dark sooty 

 brown back as far as the chest, from there back pure white. 



Head : A broad buffy median stripe reaching from the bill to the oc- 

 ciput, defined on each side by a much broader black stripe. These black 

 stripes are denned on their outer borders by a narrow creamy whitish 

 eyebrow line, which in many individuals is not continuous. A very nar- 

 row buff eye ring. Sides of head and face dark sooty brown. 



Neck : Throughout uniform dark sooty brown. 



Back: Dark sooty brown, vermiculated with grey and blackish on the 

 upper back and scapulars. The scapulars also have subterminal blotches 

 or markings of black, and a deep bronzy chestnut bar at the end of each 

 feather, this bar being darkest near the tip of the feather, the extreme tip 

 narrowly fringed with silvery white. Some of the scapulars have the ex- 

 ternal webs tawny buff, which together form a broad streak defining each 

 side of the back. Lower back shading into lighter earthy brown which 

 extends over the rump and becomes more sandy or rufous on the upper 

 tail coverts. The whole of these areas crossed by obscure dusky lines, 

 which are most distinct on the upper tail coverts. 



Tail : Rectrices pale buff broken by many narrow dusky cross bars. 



Wings: Wing coverts blackish brown with sandy edgings. The 



