173 
the Province of Buenos Ayres. 
are of a more sombre plumage. Like S. luteola, many 
move in a northerly direction in winter, at which season both 
sexes congregate in enormous flocks. On the 17th April of 
this year I witnessed a vast migratory body of this species 
whilst steaming down the riacho of Baradero. The flight 
continued for upwards of an hour, crossing the river from 
south to north; and during that time it was not possible to 
look in any direction without seeing hundreds of birds. They 
are a more tree-loving species than S. luteola , and, sometimes 
at least, parasitical in their breeding-habits. On the 17th 
October I took a nest with one egg from a nest of Furnarius 
rufus , which the Finch had relined for its own use, and shot 
the old male bird whilst standing in the doorway of its ap¬ 
propriated home. A friend of mine has taken the eggs from 
a nest of Synallaccis. An adult male shot on the 6th of April 
is—total length 5*3 inches, beak 3, tarsus 6. Forehead bright 
orange. Head above, neck above and on sides greenish yel¬ 
low, centre of feathers darkest. Throat and neck below chest, 
stomach, and under tail-coverts bright canary-yellow. Back 
dark greenish yellow, centre of feathers nearly black. Upper 
tail-coverts yellowish green. Primaries dark brown, all but 
the first slightly edged with pale yellow; first and third of 
equal length, second rather the longest. The outer webs of 
the second, third, fourth, and fifth become narrower towards 
their extremities. Under wing-coverts canary-yellow. Tail 
twelve feathers, nearly black, edged with yellow. 
An adult female, shot on the same day, is slightly smaller 
than the male. Head, neck, and back dull brown, centre of 
feathers darkest. Upper tail-coverts dark greenish brown. 
Throat dirty white, with a tinge of yellow at the corner of 
base of lower mandible. Chest light brown, with a tinge of 
dull white. Stomach dull white, towards the sides light 
brown. Flanks light brown. Under tail-coverts dirty white, 
base of feathers with a tinge of yellow. Primaries dark brown, 
slightly edged with pale yellow, chiefly on the inner webs; 
the basal half of the inner webs of these feathers is pale 
primrose-yellow. Greater wing-coverts dark brown, very 
slightly edged with pale yellow ; lesser wing-coverts greenish 
