172 BIRDS OF LA PLATA 
LITTLE TIT-LIKE GREY TYRANT 
Anaretes parulus 
Above cinereous, with an olivaceous tint on the lower back; head 
black, front varied with white, elongated vertical crest black, some- 
times varied with white; wings blackish, with slight whitish tips to 
the coverts and whitish margins to the outer secondaries ; tail blackish, 
outer webs of external rectrices whitish; below pale straw-colour, 
white on the throat; throat and breast with numerous and well- 
marked black striations ; bill and feet black; length 4 inches. 
Tuis small bird is only four and a half inches long ; 
in both sexes the colour on the upper parts is dull 
grey, on the throat and breast ash-coloured; the 
belly pale yellow. It has the distinction of a slender 
curling Lapwing-like crest, composed of a few narrow, 
long, black feathers. The eye is white. It is found 
in the thorny thickets on the dry plains of Men- 
doza, and is also common in Patagonia. In its habits 
it closely resembles Serpophaga subcristata ; lives 
always in pairs, perpetually moves about in a singu- 
larly deliberate manner while searching through 
the bush for small insects, the two birds always 
talking together in little chirping notes, and occasion- 
ally bursting out into a little shrill duet. It builds 
a deep nest of fine dry grass, lined with feathers, 
in a low thorn, and lays two white eggs. 
This diminutive Tyrant has a wide range on 
the west side of the continent, extending from 
Patagonia to the Ecuador Andes, 
