












160 Mr. H. Durnford’s Notes from the 
Sometimes the nest is placed in the fork of a tree, some- 
times in a low bush about three feet from the ground. 
~Cyanotis azare was pretty common at Punta Lara on July 
8th, in the extensive tract of marsh-land which lies about 
thirty miles from Buenos Ayres, to the south-east; at Bel- 
grano I have not yet seen it. Itis very Tit-like in its move- 
ments, diligently hunting over every little clump of reeds. 
The male and female are apparently alike. Megarhynchus 
pitangua (called here “‘ Bien te veo” (well do I see you) from 
its note) is common everywhere, being a conspicuous bird. 
_ It often leaves its post of observation to chase some large 
dragonfly or other insect, returning many times to its perch. 
On October 3rd I found a deserted nest containing a broken 
egg; it was an untidy structure, made of bits of rags, wool, 
feathers, and hair. On October 6th I found another, which the 
birds were still building. The first Pyrocephalus rubineus I 
saw was on September 20th; they are now (15th October) 
abundant everywhere at Belgrano, but are not yet nesting. 
They have a habit of leaving the twig or bough on which 
they perch and making a forage for insects, just as our com- 
mon Flycatcher does at home; they hover in the air, too, for 
many seconds together. Milvulus tyrannus, the Tijereta or 
Scissor-bird, I first saw on October 9th at Belgrano. At 
Flores it was first seen on October 16th; now it is common, 
but has not yet commenced nesting. 
DENDROCOLAPTIDA. 
Furnarwus rufus, the “ Hornero,” or Oven-bird, is very com- 
mon here. On August Ist I watched a pair repairing their 
nest ; but the eggs seem to be laid much later in the year; for 
on Ooh: 9th I examined another empty nest, and a friend 
visited a nest without eggs on the 13th. The bird utters a 
loud piping note whenever the vicinity of its nest is invaded. 
Of Synallaxis I have noticed several species, but have not yet 
made them out sufficiently to say what they are. One species 
makes, for its size, an enormous nest ; and this, placed in a tree 
at various heights from the ground, is constructed of sticks and 
lined with hair and wool, the aperture being near the top. 

