4. Myiobius magnirostris.
Plate VIII.
Tyrannula magnirostris. Gould, MS.
M. Fæm. Suprà olivaceo-brunnea; caudâ brunnea; rectricum externarum marginibus griseo-brunneis; gutture pectoreque olivaceo griseis; abdomine caudæque tectricibus inferioribus pallidè flavis; alis saturatè brunneis, secundariis tectricibusque late griseo marginatis.
Long tot. 5⁶⁄₁₂; alæ, 2⁸⁄₁₂; caudæ, 2⁶⁄₁₂; tarsi, ¹¹⁄₁₂; rost. ⁹⁄₁₂.
Crown of the head and back olive brown; tail brown; the external margins of the two outer feathers greyish brown; throat and chest olive grey; abdomen and under tail coverts very pale citron yellow; wings dark brown; secondaries, greater and lesser wing coverts broadly margined with grey; bill and feet black.
Habitat, Chatham Island, Galapagos Archipelago, (October).
This bird and the Pyrocephalus nanus, inhabit the same island. Not very uncommon.
Birds. Pl. 8.
Tyrannula magnirostris.
Genus.—SERPOPHAGA. Gould.
Rostrum capite multò brevius, rectum, subdepressum; tomiis rectis; mandibulâ superiore subemarginatâ; naribus basalibus, lateralibus, pilis mollibus anticè versis partim tectis. Alæ breves, concavæ, remige quartâ longissimâ. Cauda longiuscula subrotundata. Tarsi mediocres squamis duris annulati; digitis parvis, postico mediano breviore, lateralibus æqualibus, exteriore cum mediano usque ad articulum priorem 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’Orb. & 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 (Parus). 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 pallidè flava; pileo nigrescenti brunneo, in hoc plumarum basibus lineâque supra oculos albis; alis nigrescenti brunneis, primariis angustè olivaceo marginatis, tectricibus latè olivaceo-griseo marginatis, gutture griseo.
Long. tot. 4³⁄₁₂; alæ, 2; caudæ, 2; tarsi, ⁸⁄₁₂; rost. ⁶⁄₁₂.
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 primaries 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).
This bird, like the last species, generally moves in very small flocks. Its habits, I presume, are also very similar; for I state in my notes that it closely approaches to our tit-mice in general manners and appearance.
3. Serpophaga nigricans. Gould.
Sylvia nigricans, Vieill.
Tachuris nigricans, D’Orb. & Lafr. Mag. de Zool. 1837. p. 55.
Le Petit Tachuris noirâtre, Azara, No. 167.
This bird is common in the neighbourhood of Maldonado, on the banks of the Plata. It generally frequents the borders of lakes, ditches, and other moist places; but is related in its general manners with the last species. It often alights on aquatic plants, growing in the water. When seated on a twig it occasionally expands its tail like a fan.
Sub-Fam.—TITYRANÆ. (Psarianæ, Sw.)
Pachyramphus, G. R. Gray.
Pachyrhynchus, Spix.