Bulletin - United States National Museum - si-pddr - Smithsonian ...

80 BULLETIN 133^ UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
vinaceous purple and Indian purple; lower mandible etruscan red;
iris bone brown ; tarsus and toes coral red ; nails deep mouse gray.
MARECA SIBILATRIX (Poppig)
Anas sihilatrix Poppig, Froriep's Notizen, vol. 25, no. 529, July 1829, p. 10.
(Chile.)
The strikingly marked Chiloe wigeon was first observed on November
6, 1920, on the Estancia Tuyu, south of Cape San Antonio,
Province of Buenos Aires, when a few came » to ponds behind the
dune region bordering the beach. On November 9, in company with
B. S. Donaldson, at the Estancia Los Yngleses I killed a fine male,
a bird in full plumage, very heavy and fat but not in breeding condition.
Along the Rio Negro below General Roca, Territory of Rio
Negro, the wigeon was common from November 27 to December 3.
All those observed were males, gathered in small flocks that rested
on sand or gravel bars bordering the swiftly flowing main chan-
nels of the river, or that frequented the quieter w^aters of the lagoons
bordering the stream on either side. The birds examined closely
were all adult, evidently past breeding. One taken was beginning to
molt. At Carhue, Buenos Aires, wigeon were observed from December
15 to 18 in small numbers. A few observed on December 18,
when about 30 were seen, were in pairs, but the majority of those
noted were males. On the wing the white shoulders of this species
form a prominent field mark. Males have a low whistled note resembling
the syllables wheur, wheur, accompanied at times by low
chattering calls. The birds were wild and alert, so that it was diffi-
cult to collect them.
Birds of this species in fresh, unworn plumage have the light mar-
gins on the feathers of the dorsal surface broad and conspicuous so
that they appear much paler and more conspicuously streaked than
others that are somewhat worn.
QUERQUEDULA CYANOPTERA (Vieillot)
Anas cyanoptera Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol. 5, 1816, p. 104. (Lu
Plata Region and Buenos Aires.)
On November 16, 1920, between Lavalle and Santo Domingo, in
the Province of Buenos Aires, I noted six pairs of cinnamon teal and
occasional additional males through the extensive swamps of this
region in open marshes and pools. Near General Roca, Territory of
Rio Negro, Argentina, occasional pairs were seen from November 23
to 30 on quiet channels of the Rio Negro, and on December 3 I ob-
served a flock of 30 males, all in full plumage, evidently birds that
had bred and were preparing to molt. On this same day one was
seen in company with a flock of wigeon. Near Carhue, western Bue-
nos Aires, a male was recorded December 15, and a female with six