Hab. S. America from Northern La Plata to Veragua.
Of this very widely diffused species specimens were obtained by White, in June 1881, in the dense forests of Misiones.
[158.] PITANGUS BOLIVIANUS (Lafr.).
(BIENTEVEO TYRANT.)
Pitangus bellicosus, Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 50; Durnford, Ibis, 1877, p. 178 (Buenos Ayres); Gibson, Ibis, 1880, p. 24 (Buenos Ayres); White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 607 (Catamarca); Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl. vol. viii. p. 200 (Entrerios). Saurophagus sulphuratus, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 452.
Description.—Above brown; head black; front, superciliaries, and line round the nape white; large vertical crest yellow, tipped with black; wings and tail brown with rufous margins; beneath sulphur-yellow, inner margins of wing- and tail-feathers pale rufous; bill and feet black: whole length 8·0 inches, wing 4·2, tail 3·3. Female similar, but yellow crest not so much developed.
Hab. Bolivia, S. Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina.
The Bienteveo is in its habits the most interesting member of the Tyrannine family. It would be difficult to find two species more dissimilar in disposition than are the Silver-bill, already described, and the Bienteveo; the former being like an automaton, having only a few set motions, gestures, and instincts, while the other is versatile in an extraordinary degree, and seems to have studied to advantage the various habits of the Kestrel, Flycatcher, Kingfisher, Vulture, and fruit-eating Thrush; and when its weapons prove weak it supplements them with its running. How strange it is that these two species, mentally as widely separated as the Humming-bird and Crow, should be members of the same family!
The Bienteveo has a wide range in South America, and inhabits the whole of the Argentine country down to Buenos Ayres, where it is very common. It is resident and lives in pairs, the sexes being always faithful. The body is stout, somewhat large for a Tyrant-bird; the length being nine and a half inches, including the beak, which is a little over an inch in length. The wings are blunt and comparatively short, measuring, when spread, fourteen inches. The head is large, and a broad, black band extends from the beak its entire length, and above this is a pure white stripe; the crown is black, concealing in its loose, abundant feathers a brilliant yellow crest, which shows only when the bird is excited. The upper plumage, including wings and tail, is pale brown; the entire under surface sulphur-yellow. In both sexes the plumage is alike.
In Buenos Ayres the Bienteveo is found in every orchard and plantation: it is familiar with man and invariably greets his approach with loud notes—especially with a powerful three-syllabled cry, in which people fancy there is a resemblance to the words Bien-te-veo (“I see you well”); while its big head and beak, and strongly contrasted colours, especially the black and white head-stripes, seem to give it a wonderfully knowing look, as it turns its head from side to side to examine the intruder. It is a loud-voiced garrulous bird, and has a great range of sounds, from grating screams to long, clear, almost mellow call-notes. It has one pretty habit, which brings out strongly the pleasant feature in its character. Though the male and female are greatly attached, they do not go afield to hunt in company, like the Short-winged Tyrant, but separate to meet again at intervals during the day. One of a couple (say the female) returns to the trees where they are accustomed to meet, and after a time, becoming impatient or anxious at the delay of her consort, utters a very long, clear call-note. He is perhaps a quarter of a mile away, watching for a frog beside a pool, or beating, harrier-like, over a thistle-bed, but he hears the note and presently responds with one of equal power. Then, perhaps, for half an hour, at intervals of half a minute, the birds answer each other, though the powerful call of the one must interfere with his hunting. At length he returns; then the two birds, perched close together, with their yellow bosoms almost touching, crests elevated, and beating the branch with their wings, scream their loudest notes in concert—a confused jubilant noise that rings through the whole plantation. Their joy at meeting is patent, and their action corresponds to the warm embrace of a loving human couple.