Cape San Antonio, Buenos Ayres. 21 
24, Tanacra srriava (Bird of seven colours). 
The “Pajaro de siete colores,” as the natives call it, is 
common enough; and yet, though it remains with us all the 
year, I have never obtained a nest, nor even been able to ascer- 
tain if it breeds in this district at all. 
It is generally found in small flocks of four or five, males 
and females, about the woods and gardens, and in the latter 
locality does considerable damage among such fruits as figs 
and grapes. In the winter time they are always to be found 
in the “ Paraiso ” (or Paradise) trees in the garden, the berries 
of which do not ripen till then. 
A bold, marauding, songless bird it is; and even its blue, 
orange, and yellow plumage is not very admirable, im my 
opinion at least. 
25. LicHENOPS PERSPICILLATA. 
A common bird in the swamps and “ pajanales”’ (grass- 
coverts). It is not unusual to see it about the homesteading, 
corrales, garden, and even the outskirts of a wood. 
Except in the breeding-season, it is always solitary in its 
habits; and I have been struck with the preponderance of the 
black over the rufous birds. I am quite of Mr. Durnford’s 
opinion though, that the black are males, and the rufous 
females ; albeit my belief is founded, not on dissection, but 
on observations made at the breeding-season. 
It is a most solemn, silent, ghostly-looking little sprite ; 
and for a while, from having been very unlucky in my attempts 
to secure a specimen, I had almost formed a superstitious 
belief that it was proof against powder and shot. By no 
means shy, it will stand even being fired at once or twice. 
The food consists of beetles, small flies, &c. &e. On one 
occasion, while watching a swarm of newly-winged aunts, I 
was surprised by the appearance of one of these birds ; and 
the Flycatcher-like way in which it rose from the ground, 
took a turn or two in the air, and snapped up the ants was 
something quite new to me. 
Its flight has nothing worthy of observation further than 
that it is never a prolonged or sustained one. 
