BIRDS. 



117 



1. Attagis Falklandica. G. R. Gray. 



Tetrao Falklandicus, Gmelin, Syst. 1. 762. 

 La Caille des Isles Malouines, Buff. pi. enl. 222. 

 Coturnix Falklandica, Bonn. Ency. Meth. Orn. 220. 

 Perdix Falklandica, Lath. Ind. Orn. 1 1, 652. 

 Ortyx Falklandica, Steph. Shaw's Zool. xi. 386. 



This bird is not uncommon on the mountains in the extreme southern parts 

 of Tierra del Fuego. It frequents, either in pairs or small coveys, the zone of 

 alpine plants above the region of forest. It is not very wild, and lies very close 

 on the bare ground. 



2. Attagis gayii. Less. 



Attagis Gayii, Less. Cent. Zool. pi. 47, p- 155. 



A specimen was given me, which was shot on the lofty Cordillera of Coquimbo, 

 only a little below the snow-line. At a similar height, on the Andes, behind 

 Copiapo, which appear so entirely destitute of vegetation, that any one would have 

 thought that no living creature could have found subsistence there, I saw a covey. 

 Five birds rose together, and uttered noisy cries ; they flew like grouse, and were 

 very wild. I was told that this species never descends to the lower Cordillera. 

 These two species, in their respective countries, occupy the place of the ptarmigan 

 of the northern hemisphere. 



TlNOCHORUS RUMICIVORUS. EscllSck. 



Thinocorus rumicivorus, Eschsch. Zool. Atl. pi. 2. 

 Tinocliorus Eschscholtzii, Less. Cent. Zool. pi. 50. 



This very singular bird, which in its habits and appearance partakes of the 

 character both of a wader and one of the gallinaceous order, is found wherever 

 there are sterile plains, or open dry pasture land, in southern South America. 

 We saw it as far south as the inland plains of Patagonia at Santa Cruz, in lat. 50°. 

 On the western side of the Cordillera, near Concepcion, where the forest land 

 changes into an open country, I saw this bird, but did not procure a specimen of 

 it: from that point throughout Chile, as far as Copiapo, it frequents the most 

 desolate places, where scarcely another living creature can exist : it thus ranges 

 over at least twenty-three degrees of latitude. It is found either in pairs or in 

 small flocks of five or six ; but near the Sierra Ventana I saw as many as thirty and 

 forty together. Upon being approached they lie close, and then are very difficult 

 to be distinguished from the ground ; so that they often rise quite unexpectedly. 

 When feeding they walk rather slowly, with their legs wide apart. They dust 

 themselves in roads and sandy places. They frequent particular spots, and may 



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