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

BIRDS OF ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 337
EMPIDONOMUS AURANTIO-ATROCRISTATUS (d'Orbigny and Lafresnaye)
Tii7-anmis axirantio-atrocristatus (VObbigny and Lafresnaye, Mag. Zool.,
1837, cl. 2, p. 45. (Valle Grande, Bolivia.)
The present species appears to be migrant in the southern part of
its range, since it was not recorded until September 15, 1920, when
three were found and two males taken near Kilometer 80, west of
Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay. Others were noted there September 20
and 21, and the birds were seen in fair numbers September 23 at
Kilometer 170, and September 25 at Kilometer 200. From December
24 to 29 the species was fairly common near Victorica, Pampa, where
two males in rather worn breeding plumage were taken. One other
male was shot at Rio Negro, Uruguay, on February 17, 1921. The
birds frequented open, brushy areas, and where the forest was thick
were encountered only at the borders of the groves. In actions they
were somewhat similar to kingbirds, as they always chose perches
at the tips of low branches, or at the top of small trees wdiere they
might watch for prey. Their flight, as they darted or turned
swiftly in the air after insects, and then alighted with an expert flirt
of their long wings, was alert and graceful. The call note of males
was a low, whistling pree-ee-ee-er^ that may be likened to the noise
produced in flight by the wings of Nothura maculosa. At other
times they uttered a series of squeaky calls that might pass for a
song.
The Lengua Indians in the Paraguayan Chaco called them snak pi
tik.
The bill, tarsi, and toes in fresh specimens were black; iris Vandyke
brown.
TYRANNUS MELANCHOLICUS MELANCHOLICUS Vieillot
Tyrannus melancholicus Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol. 35, 1919,
p. 84. (Paraguay.)
As in the time of Azara, this kingbird arrived in Paraguay in
September, since the first one taken, a male, was secured on Septem-
ber 23, at Kilometer 110, west of Puerto Pinasco. Others were seen
here September 26, and at Kilometer 80, September 28, while a male
was taken from a perch above the Rio Paraguay, opposite Puerto
Pinasco, on September 30. Near General Roca, Rio Negro, a few
were noted December 3, in wallows along the Rio Negro, and at Victoria,
Pampa, on December 23 and 24, the species was common. Two
breeding males (one prepared as a skeleton) were taken there December
23. Near San Vicente, Uruguay, from January 27 to 31,
1921, the birds frequented groves of palms, where an adult female
was shot January 27. The species was found in small numbers at
Lazcano, Uruguay, from February 5 to 8, and was recorded near