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

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BIRDS OF ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 173
Lorenzo near Callao. Peale's type is an immature male, now con-
siderably worn and stained by time. In small size, however, it
agrees with Lowe's diagnosis, so that the form found on the Peruvian
coastal region must be known as Th'moconis r. cuneicaudus (Peale).
The type specimen (in the United States National Museum) has the
following measurements : Wing, 97.5 ; tail, 52.3 ; culmen, 8.5 ; tarsus,
16 mm.
At Zapala, Neuquen, on December 8 and 9, I encountered the small
seed snipe on its breeding grounds on the closely grazed slopes of an
open valley in which there was a tiny stream and occasional little
seeps or spring holes. As I came suddenly over the top of a high
bank above the little rill that drained the valley a half-grown chick,
that I recognized instantly as a seed snipe, ran out with wings spread
and low piping calls, and after some difficulty I captured it. The
mother flushed only a few feet away. Farther on in the valley adults
were fairly common and, though they were wild, on the two days
mentioned four males were taken.
The area had an alkaline soil that supported scant herbage through
which were scattered hillocks a few inches high. Male seed snipe
rested quietly on the tops of these, at a distance resembling some
curious lark or sparrow. As I approached they ran quickly away
or crouched and hid. When flushed suddenly they rose swiftly and
darted away in swift zigzags, uttering a low harsh call. The mark-
ings of their wings and their appearance at these times bore a striking
resemblance to those of a small snipe or sandpiper. Males when
at rest occasionally uttered a plaintively whistled whew with slightly
expanded pulsating throat. To escape pursuit they ran rapidly,
with head slightly forward like little plover, and when out of my
path crouched with head and neck extended on the gi-ound. When
not alarmed they walked slowly, with short steps, frequently wdth
nodding head like a dove. Occasionally males darted off to mount
high in air and circle over the valley. On their return they set their
wdngs and came down rapidly, checking their descent every few
feet so that they descended in a series of '' steps." The performance
was accompanied by a curious chuckling double note.
The bill in these birds was usually stained by adherent bits of
vegetation on which they had been feeding.
April 25, 1921, near Concon, Chile, about 25 seed snipe were found
at the mouth of the Rio Aconcagua, on a sandy area where vegetation
was scant and there was much gravel mixed with the soil. A
part had scattered over a wide tract, but a dozen or so ranged
together and flew in unison. On alighting they spread somewhat in
search of food. At intervals males towered and called as in the
breeding season.