Paragumj, Bolivia, and Southern BraziL 113 



78. LiCHENOPS PERSPICILLATA. 



Lichenops perspicillata Scl. Cat. B. xiv. p. 48; Arg. Orn. 

 i. p. 129. 



a, b. S '^ ad. Los Ynglases, Ajo. Nov. 5_, 10, 1908. 



c, d. ? ad. Cape San Antonio. Dec. 16, 21, 1908. 



€,f. ? ad. Los Ynglases, Ajo. Jan. 2, 29, 1909. 



9> h) hj-, ^-t ^j ^' c? ? 3.d, & young. Los Ynglases, Aj6. 

 Feb. 7-16, 1909. 



n. ? ad. Monte Alto, Paraguay. Aug. 25, 1909. 



o, p. S ad. Bella Vista, N. Argentine. Nov. 12, 1909. 



Ad. (^ . Irides, bill and wattles pale Naples-yellow ; legs 

 and toes black. 



Ad. ? . Irides, bill and wattles Naples-yellow, much paler 

 than in the male, tip of bill horny ; legs and toes black. ; 



Young ,^ . Irides raw sienna, eyelid very pale Naples- 

 yellow ; bill brown-horn-coloured at tip, white-horn-coloured 

 at base, gape slightly yellow; legs and toes black. 



The December and January birds are shewing signs of 

 wear, and the February females are much worn, but are not 

 yet moulting, though the male for the same month is in full 

 moult. 



There are four young birds taken in February, three males 

 and one female ; and although the female is slightly paler 

 than the male, there is no real difference between them, and, 

 " except for the softer texture of the feathering and the 

 narrower striping of the breast, they are similar to the 

 adult female." 



The " Silver-bill " is common and resident in the Aj6 

 district, and a tew were observed on the river expedition. 

 It frequents the great swamps, where also it nests, placing 

 the structure at the bottom of a clump of rushes or long grass, 

 usually in a dry spot. 



The nest is open and cup-shaped, composed of dry grass 

 and flags, and is very difficult to find, especially as the hen 

 slips off it long before the searcher is anywhere near, and 

 only by carefully watching her can the nest be discovered. 

 The full clutch consists of three eggs, and the young are 

 at first covered with black down. 



SER. IX. VOL. v. I 



