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

BIRDS OF ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 175
other dark on the ventral surface. Intergradation apparently takes
place through this region. The skins listed from above the mouth
of the Rio Bermejo, from the old Page collection, are somewhat
open to suspicion as to locality.
An immature female from an altitude of 2,000 meters on the
slopes of the Sierra San Xavier, above Tafi Viejo, Tucuman, is
placed tentatively with L. o. ochroptera on the basis of small size.
Concerning the validity and relationships of L. callauchen and
L. saturata named by Salvadori ^^ from San Lorenzo, in eastern
Jujuy, I am uncertain.
These pigeons inhabit rather heavy growths of \o\< Avoods and,
though their habits are somewhat like those of quail doves, are not
difficult to secure, as they come out frequently in openings or are seen
walking in trails or in sections free of undergrowth. When not
alarmed they walk steadily about with nodding heads, or if frightened
may remain motionless. When alarmed they flush rapidly,
with darting flight, often with a rattle of Avings. On infrequent
occasions their initial flight is accompanied bj^ a shrill whistling
like that made by a woodcock, produced probably by the attenuated
tip of the outermost primary. They may dai't away to heavy cover,
or after a flight of a few yards may perch on some low limb where
they are partly screened from view.
Occasionally one bowed low with elevated tail and suddenly
flashed the white tij^s of the rectrices, an action observed more fre-
frequently during the breeding season, and one that suggested a
similar habit in Melopelia asiaflea. The call was a low, resonant
who whoo-oo, a sound similar to that produced by blowing across the
opening of a wide-mouthed bottle, and one that suggested the note
of OreopeJeia montana. I was surprised to find that the female as
well as the male gave this curious note. More rarely a bird gave a
low coO'OO, barely audible at the distance of 10 meters. The white
tail tip and reddish-brown undersurface of the wings are prominent
in flight.
At the Riacho Pilaga, Formosa, from August 9 to 21, these birds
were fairly common ; males were taken on August 9 and 18. In very
early morning they Avere found in open roads or trails but later in
the day sought the seclusion of the forest. Individuals recorded at
Formosa, Formosa, on August 23, may have been of the subspecies
chlorauchenia.
Near Puerto Pinasco the species was fairly common and was en-
countered at Kilometer SO, and beyond to Laguna Wall on the westward,
from September 1 to 25. An adult male w^as taken September
8 near the port, and females on September 16 and 23 near Kilome-
=1 Boll. Mus. Zool. Anat. Comp. Univ. Torino, vol. 12, no. 292, May 12, 1897, p. 33.