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

382 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
Their usual call notes were closely similar to those of Passer domes-
ficus, while another note resembled check check. The song of the
male may be represented as cJiee-ee-ee-ee, a rather hard, rattling note
that was followed by some twittering calls. The Anguete Indians
called this species mah ho.
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AGELAIUS RUFICAPILLUS Vieillot
Agclaius ruficapilliis Vieiixot, Nduv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol. 34, 1819, p.
53(j. ( Paraguay.
Th? present species was another that I encountered only in the
Chaco. It was recorded at Las Palmas, Chaco, July 23 and 28,
1920, when two adult males were taken from small flocks at the
borders of lagoons. Other flocks were observed near Puerto Pin-
asco, Paraguay, September 3, and in the vicinity of Kilometer 80,
w^est of Puerto Pinasco, from September 9 to 17. They were
especially common here on the banks of esteros and lagoons flooded
by heavy rains. At the latter point a male was collected September
10 and a female September 17. Often the birds walked about on
floating vegetation among rushes where they were entirely concealed,
but when startled flew up to alight in a close flock in some clump of
grass, rushes, or low tree. Their call was a low chick. Their flight
Avas undulating.
The Anguete Indians called this bird gwas gookh, apparently a
group name for several species of blackbirds.
ICTERUS PYRRHOPTERUS PYRRHOPTERUS (Vieillot)
Agelaius pyrrhopterus Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol. 34, 1819,
p. 543. (Paraguay.")
This curious oriole was recorded as follows : Resistencia, Chaco,
July 10, 1920; Las Palmas, Chaco, July 27 (adult male taken);
Riacho Pilaga, Formosa, August 14 (female) ; Formosa, Formosa,
August 24 (female) ; Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay, September 1
(male) ; Kilometer 80, west of Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay, September
7 to 20 (female, September 7; male prepared as skeleton,
September 15) ; Tapia, Tucuman, April 11 and 13, 1921. The
specimens secured have slightly smaller bills and shorter tails than
three (including the type) from the Province of Buenos Aires,
which represent Icterus f. argoiJtilus Oberholser. It is possible,
liowever, that with sufficient material for adequate judgment the
two supposed forms will prove inseparable.
These orioles were found in groves and gardens in the Chaco,
and were occasionally noted in the dry forests of northern Tucu-
'" Azara, from whom VleiUot's account of this bird is taken, mentions no definite
locality In connection witli this species.