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

BIRDS OF AEGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 283
liberutely in the dense plant frrowth, often somewhat awkwardly,
clambering about like large titmice, always well under cover. On
one occasion one uttered a high-pitched note that may be written
chee-a; otherwise they were silent. An adult male, taken July
21, had the maxilla, sides, and tip of the mandible dull blackish
brown; rest of mandible Rood's lavender, with the extreme base
tinged with yellow; iris fuscous; tarsus and toes dark ivy green;
lower surface of toes yellowish.
CULICIVORA STENURA (Temminck)
Miisdcapa stenura Temminck, Nouv. Rec. Planch. Col. Ois., vol. 3, November,
1S22, pi. 167, fig. 3. (Brazil.)
The single individual observed, an adult female shot at the
Kiacho Pilaga, Formosa, August 14, 1920, was found in a dense
stand of a tall grass {Andropogon condensatus) near the bank of
a sluggish stream. It flew for short distances with a tilting flight
and when at rest clung to the upright grass stems. The specimen
is in full plumage, but has only eight rectrices, so that two must
have been lost, as the species is supposed to possess 10. In Tem-
minck's original plate it is figured with 12, probably through error.
The specimen secured in Formosa had the bill dull black; iris
Rood's brown; tarsus and toes black.
In Argentina the species has been recorded previously from
Mocovi and Ocampo, Santa Fe, and from Itapua, Misiones.
Mr. Ridgway ^^ calls attention to the fact that this species, with
nonexaspidean tarsi and only 10 rectrices, must be removed from
the Tyrannidae, and suggests tentatively that it be put in the
Furnariidae.
Family FORMICARIIDAE
TARABA MAJOR MAJOR (Vicillot)
Thamnophilus major Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol. 3, 1818, p. 313.
(Paraguay.)
The present species was recorded at the following points: Resistencia,
Chaco, July 9, 1920 (adult male taken) ; Las Palmas,
Chaco, July 19 to 31 (male secured July 19, and a second one on
July 31) ; Riacho Pilaga, Formosa, August 8 to 18 (two pairs, shot
August 8 and 18, respectively) ; Formosa, Formosa, August 23 and
24; Kilometer 80, west of Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay, September 8
and 11; Kilometer 200 (in the same region), September 25; Tapia,
Tucuman, April 10 (a female shot) to 13 (male taken), 1921.
The bill in the pair from Tapia is slightly heq^vier than in others,
but otherwise the series is very similar, and all are referred to true
" U. S. Nat. Mus., Bull. 50, vol. 4, 1907, d. 340.