BIRDS. 
49 
Genus.— SERPOPHAGA. Gould. 
Rostrum capite multd brevius, rectum, subdepressum ; tomiis rectis ; mandibuld 
superiore subemarginata ; naribus basalibus, lateralibus, pilis mollibus cmticb versis 
partim teclis. Alee breves, concavce, remige quartd lougissimd. Cauda longiuscula 
subrotundata. Tarsi mediocres squamis duris annulati; digitis parvis, postico 
mediano breviore, lateralibus cequalibus, exterior e cum mediano usque ad articulum 
prior em connatum. 
1. Serpophaga Parulus. Gould. 
Muscicapa parulus, Kitlitz, Mem. L’Acad. Imp. des Sci. St. Peters. 1831. 1. p. 190. PL 9. 
Sylvia Bloxami, Gray’s Zool. Misc. 1831. p. 11. 
Culicivora parulus, D’Orbig. & Lafr. Mag. de Zool. 1837, p. 57. 
This bird is common in central Chile, in Patagonia, and although found in 
Tierra del Fuego, it is not numerous there. Its specific name is very well chosen, 
as I saw no bird in South America whose habits approach so near to those of our 
tom-tits (Purus'). It frequents bushes in dry places, actively hopping about them, 
and sometimes repeating a shrill cry ; it often moves in small bodies of three and 
four together. In August I found the nest of one in a valley in the Cordillera of 
central Chile ; it was placed in a bush and was simply constructed. 
2. Serpophaga albo-coronata. Gould. 
S. supra olivaceo-brunnea, subtus pallide Jlava ; pileo nigrescenti brunneo, in hoc plu- 
marum basibus linedque supra oculos alb is ; alis nigrescenti brunneis, primariis 
angustb olivaceo marginatis, tectricibus late olivaceo-griseo marginatis, gutture 
griseo. 
Long. tot. 4-^2 ; alee, 2 ; caudas , 2 ; tarsi , ^ ; rost. -j^. 
A stripe of white from the nostrils over each eye; crown of the head brown, the 
base of all the feathers pure white ; back of the neck, back and upper tail 
coverts olive brown ; wings blackish brown, the external edges of the pri- 
maries finely margined with olive, and the greater and lesser wing coverts 
largely tipped with olive grey; tail uniform brown; throat grey; abdomen 
and under tail coverts pale citron yellow ; bill and feet brown. 
Habitat, Maldonado, La Plata, (June). 
H 
