[81.] COTURNICULUS PERUANUS (Bp.).
(YELLOW-SHOULDERED SONG-SPARROW.)
Coturniculus manimbe, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 486 (Paraná); White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 600 (Corrientes); Döring, Exp. al Rio Negro, Zool. p. 40 (R. Colorado); Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl. viii. p. 131 (Concepcion). Coturniculus peruanus, Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 32.
Description.—Above grey, mottled with rufous-brown; wing-feathers black, edged with rufous; tail-feathers black, edged with dull grey; a patch between the bill and eye and the shoulders bright yellow; beneath, throat whitish; breast and belly and sides dull grey, white on the middle of the belly; bill and feet horn-colour: whole length 4·9 inches, wing 2·4, tail 1·9. Female similar, but less bright, the yellow spot on the head scarcely perceptible.
Hab. Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina.
The prevailing colour of this little field-sparrow is grey, marked and mixed with fuscous and brown; the shoulder and space between the beak and eye are yellow. It is a common species in the northern portion of the Argentine country, and appears now to be gradually extending its range southwards. Many years ago I first noticed it on the pampas north of Buenos Ayres; afterwards I found it in the immediate neighbourhood of that city; then it began to spread over the plains to the south, appearing every spring in greater numbers, but it is still far from common. It has, I fancy, a limited migration, as I could never find one in winter. It is solitary, and frequents open plains and fields; lives on the ground, and never alights on a tree. The male has a favourite perch, a tall weed or post, where he spends a great deal of his time, repeating his song at intervals of half a minute; it is short and pleasing, and has a slight resemblance to the song of the Yellow-Hammer, but is more delicate and melodious. When approached, the bird flies down and conceals itself in the grass.
[82.] SALTATRICULA MULTICOLOR, Burm.
(MANY-COLOURED GROUND-FINCH.)
[Plate V.]
