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

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106 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM ROSTRHAMUS SOCIABILIS SOCIABILIS (Vieillot) Herpetotheres sociaMlis Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol. IS, 1817, p. 318. (Corrientes and Rio de la Plata.) As the everglade kite from Florida, described by Ridgway®^ as Eostrhamus sociahilis plumbeus^ may be distinguished from South American specimens by the grayish wash on the upper surface, the typical form will bear the trinomial designation used above. Though Azara states that he had never seen his gabildn de estero sociable in Paraguay, I found it about the lagoon at Kilometer 80, west of Puerto Pinasco, on September 8 and 9, 1920, and noted many little piles of empty snail shells at the bases of palm stubs, where they had been carried and dropped when empty. The hawks were shy, so that I had no shots at them. On the Estancia Los Yngleses, near Lavalle, Buenos Aires, the everglade kite, known as the caracolero was fairly common from October 28 to November 16. A female in immature dress was taken October 28, and a male in the same plumage, with one fully adult, on October 31. Apparently the dark adult feathering is not assumed until the third year. These hawks were found about open marshes often in little flocks, that in one instance numbered as many as 11. When fence posts were not available and there were no trees near at hand, the hawks rested on the ground on very slight elevations or perched in the rushes. At other times they soared in company in short circles, often following this pastime for the space of nearly an hour. The bluntly pointed wing, with its broad expanse and well-rounded out- line, and sharply square-cut tail served to identify the species at once, even when far distant. At this season they were somewhat noisy and emitted a rasping chattering call that was audible at no great distance, especially on days when the wind was strong. Near their resting places I found piles of empty snail shells (in this case of Amipullaria insularuTii d'Orbigny) where they had been discarded. None of the shell heaps were extensive at this season and I judged that the hawk was migratory and had only recently returned from the north. In the Paraguayan Chaco, where the snail hawks frequented marshy savannas, I saw them perched frequently in the leafy tops of trees. Near San Vicente, in eastern Uruguay, several everglade kites were seen on January 31, 1921, near the Laguna Castillos, and one was noted February 2 on a bahado bordering the Arroyo Sarandi near the Paso Alamo. At Lazcano, Uruguay, they were seen over saw grass marshes from February 5 to 7, and an immature female was shot on February 7. At Rio Negro, Uruguay, they were ob- ** Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway, Hist. North American Birds, Land Birds, vol. 3, 1874, p. 209.

BIRDS OF ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 107 served near marshes on February 17 and 18. On March 8 one was seen from the train near 25 de Mayo, Buenos Aires, and others were noted in the same manner west of the city of Buenos Aires on March 13. The immature female taken October 28, when fresh, had the bill, anterior to the cere, black; base of bill, including: the mandibular rami, the skin back as far as the eye and a narrow external rim on the eyelids zinc orano:e ; iris liver brown ; tarsus and toes dull j'^ellow ocher; claws black. The male in adult plumage secured on October 31 had the bill mainly black ; cere, bare skin in front of eye, gape, and mandibular rami flame scarlet; iris carmine; tarsus and toes apricot orange; claws black. The adult thus was much brighter in color. The immature female from Uruguay, fully grown, but a bird of the year, has the paler markings in the plumage much darker, more nifescent, than in birds in second-year dress. Doctor Oberholser ^^ proposes to replace Rostrhanius of Lesson by Cyniindes Spix ^^ on the ground that Cymindes is a new name at the reference cited, a suggestion, however, that is in error. Spix gave diagnoses for all of the genera that he used without citing the name of the founder, so that Aguila, Polyborus, and Cathartes which precede Cymindes are characterized in the same manner as the name under discussion. On reference to the index to the first volume of Spix, which immediately precedes the text, the genus in question is given as Cymindis^ on page 7, as stated, it stands as Cymindes, while plate 2 is lettered Cymindis Leucopygus. It is obvious, therefore, that Cymindes is simply an emendation (apparently unintentional) of Cymindis Cuvier and as such has no priority over the generic name Rostrhamus for the everglade kite. GERANOSPIZA GRACILIS (Temminck) Falco gracilis Temsiinck, Nouv. Rec. Planch. Col. Ois., livr. IG, April. 1822," pi. 91. (Eastern Brazil.) Hellmayr ^® considers gracilis of Temminck a subspecies of Gerano- spiza caerulescens. In the material available the two appear so different, with no indicated intergrades, that this usage is not justified. This bird was encountered on two occasions near the ranch at Kilometer 80, west of Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay. On the morning of September 15, 1920, one rested quietly on a post above a pond in one of the corrals, and was killed from the door of the kitchen. On September 20 in a tract of heavy monte one flew into the top of sBProc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 35. Mar. 20, 1922, p. 79. *« Av. Spec. Nov. Brasiliam, vol. 1, 1824, p. 7. 8'' From Sherborn, Ibis, 1898, p. 488. 88 Nov. Zool., vol. 28, May, 1921, p. 177.

BIRDS OF ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 107<br />

served near marshes on February 17 and 18. On March 8 one was<br />

seen from the train near 25 de Mayo, Buenos Aires, and others were<br />

noted in the same manner west of the city of Buenos Aires on<br />

March 13.<br />

The immature female taken October 28, when fresh, had the bill,<br />

anterior to the cere, black; base of bill, including: the mandibular<br />

rami, the skin back as far as the eye and a narrow external rim on<br />

the eyelids zinc orano:e ; iris liver brown ; tarsus and toes dull j'^ellow<br />

ocher; claws black. The male in adult plumage secured on October<br />

31 had the bill mainly black ; cere, bare skin in front of eye, gape, and<br />

mandibular rami flame scarlet; iris carmine; tarsus and toes apricot<br />

orange; claws black. The adult thus was much brighter in color.<br />

The immature female from Uruguay, fully grown, but a bird of the<br />

year, has the paler markings in the plumage much darker, more<br />

nifescent, than in birds in second-year dress.<br />

Doctor Oberholser ^^ proposes to replace Rostrhanius of Lesson by<br />

Cyniindes Spix ^^ on the ground that Cymindes is a new name at the<br />

reference cited, a suggestion, however, that is in error. Spix gave<br />

diagnoses for all of the genera that he used without citing the name<br />

of the founder, so that Aguila, Polyborus, and Cathartes which precede<br />

Cymindes are characterized in the same manner as the name<br />

under discus<strong>si</strong>on. On reference to the index to the first volume of<br />

Spix, which immediately precedes the text, the genus in question is<br />

given as Cymindis^ on page 7, as stated, it stands as Cymindes, while<br />

plate 2 is lettered Cymindis Leucopygus. It is obvious, therefore,<br />

that Cymindes is <strong>si</strong>mply an emendation (apparently unintentional)<br />

of Cymindis Cuvier and as such has no priority over the generic<br />

name Rostrhamus for the everglade kite.<br />

GERANOSPIZA GRACILIS (Temminck)<br />

Falco gracilis Tem<strong>si</strong>inck, Nouv. Rec. Planch. Col. Ois., livr. IG, April.<br />

1822," pi. 91. (Eastern Brazil.)<br />

Hellmayr ^® con<strong>si</strong>ders gracilis of Temminck a subspecies of Gerano-<br />

spiza caerulescens. In the material available the two appear so<br />

different, with no indicated intergrades, that this usage is not<br />

justified.<br />

This bird was encountered on two occa<strong>si</strong>ons near the ranch at<br />

Kilometer 80, west of Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay. On the morning<br />

of September 15, 1920, one rested quietly on a post above a pond in<br />

one of the corrals, and was killed from the door of the kitchen.<br />

On September 20 in a tract of heavy monte one flew into the top of<br />

sBProc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 35. Mar. 20, 1922, p. 79.<br />

*« Av. Spec. Nov. Bra<strong>si</strong>liam, vol. 1, 1824, p. 7.<br />

8'' From Sherborn, Ibis, 1898, p. 488.<br />

88 Nov. Zool., vol. 28, May, 1921, p. 177.

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