Argentine Ornithology Volume I Part 37

The beak is longer and more curved, the claws more crooked, and the tail stiffer than in other _Synallaxes_, and this difference in structure corresponds to a different mode of life. The Striped Spine-tail creeps on the trunk and larger branches of trees, seeking its insect-food in the crevices of the bark, and when seen clinging to the trunk, supported by its tail in a vertical position, with head thrown far back, and progressing upwards by short quick hops, it looks wonderfully like a small _Picolaptes_ with shortened beak. It is very restless, and while searching for insects constantly utters a short, trilling, querulous-sounding note.

It builds an open nest in the fork of a branch, of soft gra.s.ses and hair, thickly lined with feathers, and lays four or five pure white eggs.

198. SYNALLAXIs...o...b..GNII, Reichenb.

(D'ORBIGNY'S SPINE-TAIL.)

+Synallaxis...o...b..gnii+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 64; _Scl. P. Z.

S._ 1874, p. 22, et 1879, p. 461; _Salvin, Ibis_, 1880, p. 358 (Salta). +Synallaxis humicola+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p.

468 (Mendoza, Parana). +Synallaxis cra.s.sirostris+, _Leybold, J.

f. O._ 1865, p. 401. +Synallaxis flavigularis+, _Doring, Exp. al Rio Negro, Zool._ p. 45.

_Description._--Above pale earthy brown, superciliaries whitish; wing-feathers blackish, the basal part of the secondaries pale chestnut, forming a transverse band; four middle tail-feathers blackish, the lateral pale chestnut; beneath whitish brown; middle of throat pale rufous; under wing-coverts fulvous; bill and feet horn-colour: whole length 65 inches, wing 22, tail 32.

_Hab._ Bolivia and Argentina.

This Spine-tail has been noticed by various observers in Northern Argentina, and, if we are correct in referring _S. flavigularis_ of Doring to the same species, occurs also in the Rio Negro district.

199. SYNALLAXIS MODESTA, Eyton.

(MODEST SPINE-TAIL.)

+Synallaxis modesta+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 64; _Scl. P.

Z. S._ 1872, p. 544 (Rio Negro), et 1874, p. 23. +Synallaxis flavogularis+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 468 (Mendoza).

_Description._--Above earthy brown, superciliaries whitish; wings blackish, the basal half of secondaries pale clear brown, forming a transverse bar; tail black, the outer webs of all the rectrices pale chestnut; beneath whitish brown, with a large fulvous spot on the throat; under wing-coverts fulvous; bill and feet pale brown: whole length 60 inches, wing 24, tail 25. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ Argentina, Patagonia, Chili.

This species so closely resembles the following in size and dull earthy-brown colour, that where seen in the thickets it is impossible to distinguish them. In habits they also seem alike; but this bird is, I think, less retiring, for I have seen it a.s.sociating with other species of _Synallaxis_.

On comparing specimens together, however, it is easy to separate the present bird from _S. sordida_ by noticing the colour of the external rectrices, which are black, externally edged with rufous, instead of being wholly rufous.

200. SYNALLAXIS SORDIDA, Less.

(SORDID SPINE-TAIL.)

+Synallaxis sordida+, _Hudson, P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 543 (Rio Negro); _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 64; _Scl. P. Z. S._ 1874, p. 23; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1878, p. 396 (Centr. Patagonia); _White, P. Z.

S._ 1883, p. 39 (Cordova); _Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ viii.

p. 208 (Entrerios).

_Description._--Above earthy brown; wing-feathers blackish brown, their basal parts pale chestnut-brown, forming a transverse bar; tail blackish, the three outer rectrices and outer web of the fourth rectrix on each side wholly pale chestnut-brown; beneath pale earthy brown, clearer on the belly, and with a bright fulvous spot on the throat; under wing-coverts pale cinnamomeous; bill and feet blackish: whole length 65 inches, wing 23, tail 28. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ Patagonia and East Argentina.

This species, which, on close comparison, is at once distinguishable from _S. modesta_ by the absence of any black colour on the three exterior pairs of tail-feathers, ranges from the extreme north of the Argentine Republic to Patagonia, where it is quite common, and is invariably found in dry situations abounding in th.o.r.n.y vegetation.

It does not migrate, and lives with its mate in th.o.r.n.y bushes, but does not attempt to conceal itself, and sits much on the summit of a bush, where the male in spring utters at intervals a clear trilling call.

In its inactive disposition, slow deliberate movements, also in its language, it strikingly resembles the _Phacellodomus ruber_. In its nidification it also comes nearest to that species. The nest is a large structure of sticks, eighteen inches to two feet long, placed upright among the twigs at the summit of a bush. From the top where the entrance is placed, a winding pa.s.sage leads down to the chamber at the bottom of the nest; this is lined with soft dry gra.s.s and feathers, and four pure white eggs are laid.

201. SYNALLAXIS SULPHURIFERA, Burm.

(YELLOW-MARKED SPINE-TAIL.)

+Synallaxis sulphurifera+, _Hudson, P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 544 (Rio Negro); _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 64; _Scl. P. Z. S._ 1874, p. 24; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 180, et 1878, p. 61 (Buenos Ayres); _Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ viii. p. 208 (Entrerios).

_Description._--Above brown, slightly olivaceous; wings blackish; lesser wing-coverts, margins of the feathers of the greater wing-coverts, and outer webs of the basal halves of the wing-feathers pale chestnut; tail-feathers chestnut-brown, ends much elongated and pointed; beneath white, throat and breast mottled with grey, spot in middle of throat sulphur-yellow; flanks washed with brown; bend of wing and under wing-coverts fulvous; bill and feet pale horn-colour: whole length 63 inches, wing 21, tail 30.

_Female_ similar.

_Hab._ South Argentina and Patagonia.

I have found this _Synallaxis_, which was first described by Prof.

Burmeister, from specimens obtained near Buenos Ayres, in the swamps along the Plata river; also on the Rio Negro, in Patagonia, where, however, it is very scarce. It inhabits the dense rush-beds growing in the water, where the _Limnornis curvirostris_ is also found. It closely resembles that species in habits and language, and also a.s.similates to it in colour and in the rather long, curved beak, sharp claws, stout body, and short stiff tail. It is stationary, pairs for life, and lives always closely concealed in its chosen bed of close-growing rushes. When a person approaches their hiding-place the two birds creep up to the summit of the rushes, protesting in peculiar, loud, angry rattling notes. The _Limnornis_, which also pairs for life, has precisely the same habit.

Durnford describes the nest, found in a rush-bed, as a circular or domed structure of gra.s.s, with the aperture at the side; the eggs white.

202. SYNALLAXIS PATAGONICA (Lafr. et d'Orb.).

(PATAGONIAN SPINE-TAIL.)

+Synallaxis patagonica+, _Hudson, P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 544 (Rio Negro); _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 64; _Scl. P. Z. S._ 1874, p. 24; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 35 (Chupat).

_Description._--Above greyish earthy brown; wing-feathers blackish brown, basal halves of secondaries very pale clear brown, forming a transverse band; tail blackish, edged with greyish brown; outer web of outer feather on each side pale brown; beneath cinereous, with an obscure blackish spot on the throat; belly and flanks dull buff; under wing-coverts cinnamomeous; bill and feet blackish: whole length 60 inches, wing 22, tail 25. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ Patagonia.

This dull-coloured little bird, which is found in Patagonia and also near the Andes in the north-western provinces of the Argentine Republic, is one of those species which diverge greatly in habits from the typical _S. ruficapilla_ and its nearest allies. The body is stout, the tail, square and short, is carried vertically as in the House-Wren.

The Patagonian Spine-tail is a resident in the Rio Negro district. It is a silent, shy, solitary little bird, which lives on the ground and seeks its food after the manner of the Cachalote (_h.o.m.orus_). Being small and feeble, however, it does not hunt about the roots of trees and large bushes like the larger and more powerful _h.o.m.orus_, but keeps under the diminutive scrubby plants in open sterile situations. About the roots of these wiry little bushes, only twelve to eighteen inches high, the bird searches for small insects, and when disturbed has a feeble jerky flight, which carries it to a distance of about twenty yards. It flies with great reluctance, and when approached runs swiftly away, leaving a person in doubt as to whether he has seen a mouse or a little obscure bird. The only note I have heard it utter is a faint creaking sound when alarmed or flying.

203. SYNALLAXIS HUDSONI, Scl.

(HUDSON'S SPINE-TAIL.)

+Synallaxis hudsoni+, _Scl. P. Z. S._ 1874, p. 25; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 36, et 1878, p. 396 (Chupat, Central Patagonia); _Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ viii. p. 209 (Azul, Sierra de la Ventana). +Synallaxis sclateri+, _Cab. J. f. O._ 1878, p. 196.

_Description._--Above fulvous brown, mottled with black, each feather being marked with a large black spot; on the upper part of the back the feathers are faintly edged with whitish grey; wings blackish, basal halves of feathers pale clear brown, forming a transverse bar, the terminal part of the feathers slightly edged on the outer webs and tips with ochraceous; tail blackish, the outer pair of rectrices and broad tips of the next two pairs on each side very pale brown, the two middle feathers broadly margined on both webs with pale greyish brown; beneath pale ochraceous brown, with a pale sulphur-yellowish gular spot; flanks with a few black marks; under wing-coverts light cinnamon; bill and feet pale horn-colour: whole length 78 inches, wing 32, tail 35. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ Argentina.

This Spine-tail, which Sclater has named after me, is the Argentine representative of _S. humicola_ of Chili. It is common on the pampas, and is sometimes called by the gauchos "_Tiru-riru del campo_," on account of its resemblance in the upper plumage and in language to _Anumbius acuticaudatus_, which is named "_Tiru-riru_," in imitation of its call-note. The addition of _del campo_ signifies that it is a bird of the open country. It is, in fact, found exclusively on the gra.s.sy pampas, never perching on trees, and in habits is something like a Pipit, usually being taken for one when first seen. It is quite common everywhere on the pampas, and specimens have also been obtained in Cordova, Uruguay, and Patagonia.

This Spine-tail is resident, solitary, and extremely timid and stealthy in its movements, living always on the ground among the long gra.s.s and cardoon-thistles. At times its inquisitiveness overcomes its timidity, and the bird then darts up three or four yards into the air, and jerking its tail remains some moments poised aloft with breast towards the intruder, emitting sharp little notes of alarm, after which it darts down again and disappears in the gra.s.s. When driven up it has a wild zigzag flight, and after reaching a considerable height in the air darts down again with astonis.h.i.+ng swiftness, and comes back to the very spot from which it rose. It is, however, incapable of sustained flight, and after being flushed two or three times refuses to rise again. In spring the male perches on the summit of a cardoon-bush, or other slight elevation, and at regular intervals utters a pleasing and melancholy kind of song or call, which can be heard distinctly at a distance of a thousand yards, composed of four long clear plaintive notes, increasing in strength, and succeeded by a falling trill. When approached it becomes silent, and dropping to the ground conceals itself in the gra.s.s.