Hab. Western Argentina and North Patagonia.
This species inhabits the Mendoza district, and migrates south in spring. I met with it on the Rio Negro, in Patagonia, where it made its appearance in October. The sexes are alike. The entire upper plumage is dull grey with a pale rufous tinge; throat, breast, and belly pale buff tinged with grey. It is a solitary bird, restless in manner, has a swift flight, and sits on a stalk or other slight elevation, from which it darts down to seize any insect it spies on the ground. Its only language is a very low whistling note.
[117.] TÆNIOPTERA RUBETRA (Burm.).
(CHAT-LIKE TYRANT.)
[Plate VII.]
Tænioptera rubetra, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 461 (Mendoza); Hudson, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 541 (Rio Negro); Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 42; Durnford, Ibis, 1877, p. 34, et 1878, p. 394 (Patagonia).
Description.—Above sandy brown, lores and superciliaries white; wings black, greater coverts and outer secondaries edged with whitish, lesser coverts like the back; tail black, outer web of the outer tail-feathers and tips of others white; below white, with black striations on the sides of the throat and on the breast; flanks, under wing-coverts, and inner webs of the primaries deep rufous; two outer primaries acuminated: whole length 7·5 inches, wing 4·7, tail 3·2. Female rather paler, throat and breast washed with ochraceous, and outer primaries not acuminated.
Hab. Interior of Argentine Republic and Patagonia.
I have met with this bird at all seasons of the year in Patagonia on the Rio Negro, and think it probable that it has no migration. It is seen in flocks of twenty or thirty individuals, and in its lively actions when on the wing, and in its habit of perching on a bush or elevation of some kind, from which it pounces down on an insect seen on the ground, it resembles other Tæniopteræ; but it runs about on the ground a great deal, and in this respect is more like a Myiotheretes or Muscisaxicola. In its colour it also diverges widely from the typical Tæniopteras in their black and white Dominican plumage. The whole upper parts are light chestnut, with a white mark on the side of the head; wings and tail dark, tipped with pale rufous; throat, breast, and belly whitish rufous, with dark lines on throat and bosom. The chestnut hue in the female is paler and mixed with grey.