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

BIRDS OP ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 199
this species in contrast with the broadened mandible is remarkable
in most specimens the distal end of the bill shows considerable wear,
indicating that it is used extensively in work that requires heavy
cutting.
CYANOLISEUS PATAGONUS PATAGONUS (Vieillot)
Psittacus patagonus Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol. 25, 1817, p.
367. (Buenos Aires.)
Since Azara/^ from whom Vieillot took his description of the
Patagonian parrot, says that he had four specimens of this bird from
Buenos Aires, and continued with the statement that he was informed
that the bird ranged from latitude 32° S. to the Patagonian
coast, it seems logical to assume that the type locality should be in
the Province of Buenos Aires, where the birds were common form-
erly, and not in Patagonia as is usually stated.
The barranca parrot or loro han^anquero was foimd near General
Roca, Rio Negro, from November 23 to December 3, 1920. In
this arid region the parrots frequented the flood plain of the Rio
Negro in the main, though occasionally a small flock ranged inland
among the gravel hills that bordered the valley. In early
morning barranca parrots were astir an hour or two after daybreak,
when the air had been warmed by the sun, and remained abroad un-
til dark. In early morning floclvs were encountered near the river,
where they came for water, and later worked inland wherever ber-
ries or seeds offered them food. At such times they traveled rather
low, ranging from 2 to 10 meters in the air. As customary with parrots,
they fiy steadily, in direct line, with the usual accompaniment
of screechine: calls. Their food consisted of berries that chanced
to be ripe at that season, among which may be noted Lycium salsum
and Discaria, species. The birds resemble macaws in appearance,
a suggestion that is furthered by the flashes of color that appear in
their plumage during flight.
An adult female when killed had the bill deep neutral gray; bare
skin around eye pale olive buff; iris light buff; tarsus and toes
cartridge buff; claws black.
Order CORACIIFORMES
Family TYTONIDAE
TYTO ALBA TUIDARA (J. E. Gray)
Strix tuidara J. E. Gray, in E. Griffith, ed. Cuvier's Anim. Kingd., vol.
6, 1829, p. 75. (Brazil.)
At Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay, on September 1, 1920, a pair of
barn owls had a nest in the roof of a store building, where the screech
'«Apunt. Hist. Nat. Paxaros Paraguay, vol. 2, 1805, p. 420.
;