82 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



our common meadow pipit, indeed Latham considers it a 

 variety of that species. It is found both in marshy and dry 

 ground. They sing in the air, ascending nearly vertically, 

 and again like our pipit descending with outspread wings. 

 They are so tame as often to be struck down by the whips of 

 the rough native carters. They vary in shade of colour 

 apparently according to the sort of soil on which they are 

 found. They are plentiful at Tala, and do not migrate. 



Clutch of three eggs, taken 1st November 1880. Another 

 of four eggs, taken 23d October 1881, both from nests placed 

 on the ground. They measure from |-g- x f^ inch to |-g- x -fl- 

 inch. In shape and size they are very similar to those of 

 the meadow pipit. The ground colour is white, and they are 

 spotted more or less with olive brown or reddish brown, 

 sometimes minutely, at other times the markings are bolder. 



The nest is not so neatly formed as that of the meadow 

 pipit, and more resembles that of a lark, the grasses of which 

 it is formed being coarse and loosely put together. 



31. Serpo;phaga suhcristata (VielL). — This species of fly- 

 catcher is found in Brazil, Bolivia, the Argentine Eepublic, 

 and other States bordering upon the Eiver Plata. It is not 

 very common at Tala, but remains throughout the year. 

 Eetiring in habits, it is also wanting in vocal power, having 

 no song. Its food consists chiefly of insects, which it picks 

 off the bark of trees as it runs up their sides. It occasionally 

 goes in company with Sycalis arvensis. 



Clutch of two eggs, taken on 20th ^"ovember 1880, from 

 a nest placed in a tree. Another clutch, taken 29th [N'ovem- 

 ber 1881, from a nest placed in a bush in Tala garden. The 

 eggs of the former measure each f ^ x -^ inch, the latter 

 If ^ i^ inch. They are of a very light buff colour, with- 

 out markings, and are of a pyriform shape. 



The nest is a remarkably neat and beautiful little structure 

 formed of wool, lichens and hair, felted together, with a few 

 fine roots which also serve to stiffen it, and it is lined with 

 soft feathers. It somewhat resembles a miniature chaffinch's. 

 It measures 2^ inches across the top over all, and 1|- inch 

 across the cavity, which is 1^ inch deep. 



32. Pyrocephalus ruMneus (Bodd.) — native name " Chur- 



