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

300 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
work in the Province of Buenos Aires, nor was it seen on the numer-
ous occasions that I crossed the Province in trains. In its present
distribution the species seems common from central Pampa, southern
Cordoba, central Santa Fe, Entre Rios, and southern Uruguay
northward into Paraguay and southeastern Brazil.
Three skins were preserved, an adult male shot at Las Palmas,
Chaco, July 14, an adult female from Kilometer 80, Puerto Pinasco,
Paraguay, September 18, and an adult female at Victorica, Pampa,
December 24, 1920, The last named is in worn soiled breeding
plumage. Comparisons of small series do not show differences between
birds from distant localities. Females as well as males have
the tail tipped with black, so that Sclater's statement "' that the
female has no black band on the tail is incorrect. In the male the
narrowed tip of the outer primary measures 8 mm. or more, in
females it is less than 6 mm. in length. The bill, tarsus, and toes in
this species are black, the iris vandyke brown.
This beautiful bird, known as hlanca for, viudita, or irupero,
though a flycatcher, has the habits and mannerisms of a bluebird
(Sialia), so much so that as it flits its wings from some fence post
or bush one is almost surprised that it does not break into warbling
song- The birds frequent open country, where posts, low trees,
or bushes offer convenient stations from which to watch for food,
which seems to consist largely of insects secured from the ground.
The viudita rests quietly, eyeing the ground intently, until food is
observed, when it flies gracefully down with rapid movement of its
long pointed wings to rest and look about for a few seconds before
returning to a higher perch. The pure white body plumage with
black primaries and black-tipped tail make it a prominent and beautiful
figure in the landscape, especially since it invariably seeks an
open perch, in spite of which it is tame and unsuspicious.
The flight is quick, nervous, and undulating, but the birds seem
sedentary and seldom fly for great distances- The bird seemed
wholly silent. A nest discovered near Victorica, Pampa, on Decem-
ber 24 was placed in a hollow in the crotch of a large calden tree
{Prosopis nigra) that stood somewhat separated from its fellows.
The chamber that concealed the nest was an irregular hollow 200
or 250 mm. in diameter, with an entrance through a slight crevice at
one side. The only lining of this domicile consisted of a few
feathers arranged carelessly on the loose rubbish in the bottom of the
cavity. The one young bird that this nest contained, when compared
to its beautiful parents, with their clean, contrasted colors,
was an ugly duckling, indeed, since its dark skin was scantily covered
with dull gray down. (PI. 9.)
«>Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. 14, 1888, p. 14.