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

242 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
I recorded this Sittaso'tnus at Las Palmas, Chaco, from July 15^
to 30, 1920; Riacho Pilaga, Formosa, August 11 and 18; Kilometer
25, Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay, September 1; Kilometer 80, in the
same vicinity, September 8, 15, and 20; and on the Sierra San
Xavier, above Tafi Viejo, Tucuman, on April 17, 1921.
The taquarita, as the species is known, inhabits heavy forest and
is not found in open areas. In search for food it creeps and climbs
over tree trunks and limbs, bracing with the tail to assist it in
progress, and moving so actively that it is difficult to follow. In
its method of climbing and the nervous activity that keeps it continually
moving, it is suggestive of Certhia. The birds were found
often in company with little groups of other forest birds that travel
in social flocks. According to my brief observations, they were
entirely silent.
Family FURNARIIDAE
GEOSITTA CUNICULARIA CUNICULARIA (Vieillot)
Alauda cunicularia Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol. 1, 1816, p. 369,
(Near the Rio de la Plata and Buenos Aires.)
The common miner was recorded at the following points: Lavalle,
Buenos Aires, November 7 and 8, 1920 (adult and immature males
Carhue, Buenos Aires, December 15 to 18; Car-
taken November 7) ;
rasco, Uruguay, January 9 and 16, 1921 ; La Paloma, Uruguay, January
23; San Vicente, Uruguay, January 31 to February 2 (adult
shot at Paso Alamo, February 2) ; Lazcano, Uruguay, February &
(adult female taken) to February 9; and Guamini, Buenos Aires,
March 3 and 4. In the series at hand skins from the Province of
Buenos Aires and Uruguay average slightly smaller than those from
Zapala, other localities in northern Patagonia, and Chile. Northern
skins are browner, and those from Chile grayer. Birds from Zapala
are intermediate in this respect and are referred to G. c. helhnuyri.
Two males from Uruguay have a wing measurement of 88 and 88.2
mm., respectively (a third from Quinta, Rio Grande do Sul, that I
have seen is similar), while males from Buenos Aires range from
89.2-93.5 mm. Geositta c. froheni^ as at present understood, distin-
guished by larger size (wing, 101.5-103.5 (and paler outer rectrix, is
represented in the United States National Museum by three specimens
from the Province of Mendoza.
Adults have much longer bills than immature individuals even
when the latter appear fully grown. In immature plumage, birds
are distinguished by the paler margins on the feathers of the dorsal
surface, and by the narrow, buffy tips of the longer primaries. An
adult male secured February 2 has begun to molt on the breast.
Others are in full plumage.