THINOCOEUS EUMICIVOEUS 135 



skin of the neck so loose as almost to fall away of its 

 own accord. The food of this bird is a tliick succulent 

 leaf with uneven edges and bars across it, the bright green 

 juice of which irretrievably stains the feathers, whether 

 voided from the bill or from the vent. The flesh is red and 

 flavoured like that of a Grouse. Two males and one female 

 weighed 4|; ounces each ; another male weighed 5 ounces. 

 The Ona name is " Kotel^ 



THINOCORUS RUMICIVORUS (Eschscholtz) 



ThinoCOrUS rumicivorTlS, Eschscholtz, Zool. Atlas, p. 2, pi. ii, 

 1829; Gould and Darwin, Voy. "Beagle,'^ Birds, p. 117, 184-1; 

 Durnford, Ibis, p. 197, 1877, p. 403, 1878; Sclater and Hudson, Argen- 

 tine Orn., ii, p. 176, 1889; Oustalet, Miss. Sci. Cap Horn, Ois., p. 108, 

 1891 ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xxiv, p. 719, 1896. 



Habitat. — Peru and Bolivia, to Tierra del Fuego. 



c? ? , Cheena Creek Settlement, 11th Nov. ; ^, 16tli Nov., 1904 

 Iris — brown ; bill — drab ; legs and feet — yellow. 



The Pigmy Seed Snipe was observed by Darwin as far 

 south as Santa Cruz, on the inland plains of Patagonia, in 

 lat. 50°. The French Mission to Cape Horn did not obtain it 

 south of the mainland. 



This bird is fairly common, occurring in pairs here and there. 

 Its usual haunt is open ground, at low altitudes, in places where 

 the grass is short and delicate. It rises somewhat like a Lark, 

 with a twitter, flips away in erratic fashion for a short distance, 

 perhaps thirty yards, and without any attempt at con- 

 cealment resumes feeding or remains stationary, indiflferent to 

 one's presence. At Cheena Creek I put up a pair, about a mile 

 from the settlement, when on my way into the mountains to 

 shoot guanaco. As I particularly wanted the birds, I sent back 

 my Ona guide for the '410. While he was away they remained 



19 



