610 MR. K. W. WHITE ON BIRDS [JUQC 20, 



work ou Sunday, Oct. 9, 1881, but did little the first day except 

 just trace out the foundation, as there was no mud obtainable, and 

 they had to resort to water-tubs to form it ; but on Monday morning 

 it poured for about si.\ to eight hours, during which time the birds 

 did not work. When the rain ceased, however, they began in right 

 earnest, having plenty of material at hand. 



They generally took it hi turns to build, one of them always re- 

 maining inside doing the masonry, whilst the other brought in the 

 mud; but at times both became masons and labourers. Ou Tuesday 

 afternoon the nest was half built ; but on Wednesday progress became 

 lax, as the soil was drying up. 



Ou Thursday the hemispherical walls rose all round to the height 

 of the bird, except where the entrance was to be ; and the inside archi- 

 tect had thenceforward to stretch its neck and stand ou tiptoe to 

 complete the cupola, which it did in the direction of the entrance. 

 In the construction of the roof much horsehair was mixed with 

 the mud to strengthen it. 



Ou Saturday the roof was well advanced ; and now they commenced 

 to insert the internal curved partition which, fronting the entrance, 

 hinders a view of, and forms a passage into, the interior. 



This was a labour that occupied considerable time ; but ou Sunday 

 the 16th it rained again heavily, and thus liglitened the toil of the 

 iudustrious builders. 



On the Tuesday following the partition was finished, and it only 

 remained to close up the entrance to the required height with a 

 small section of roofing. This done, the dwelling was completed on 

 Wednesday the 19th ; and then but a short time was occupied in 

 liiiiug the inside with fine dry grass, and the whole was ready for 

 occupation. The Oven-bird seems to lay only three eggs ; but from 

 one nest I once took four chicks ; whilst I have found as many as 

 three other species of bird's eggs laid amongst those of i^. rufus. 



The egg is milk-white and perfectly spotless. 



Meas. : axis 28 mihim., diam. 21 millim. 



97. Upucerthia luscinia (Burm.). 



(?. Fuerte de Andalgala, Catamarca, Arg. Rep., Sept. 2, 1880. 

 ?.. » » „ „ Sept. 1, 1880. 



Iris sepia. 



Found about the hedges. Every time it springs from one twig to 

 another it utters a sharp jerky whistle. 



98. CiNCLODES Fuscus (VicilL). 



$ . Pucara, Catamarca, Arg. Rep., Aug. 25, 1880. 



lu the rocky quebrada (ravine) of Pucara, 7500 feet above sea- 

 level, I met with this bird hopping from stone to stone iu the stream 

 in pursuit of insects, and at times it ran right into the water. 



99. ScLERURUs CAUDACUTUS (Vicill.). 



cJ. San Javier, Misiones, Arg. Rep., June 2, 1881. 

 Iris dark. 



