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

28 BULLETIN 133^ UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
I was astonished to hear the low whistle of the martineta and to
catch sight of an occasional crested bird as it ran aside through the
weeds. Others were noted in this same region on December 18.
It was said that the martineta was encroaching sloAvly on the range
of Rhynchotus rufescens in southern Buenos Aires, and that as
Calopezus came in it drove out and replaced the rufous-winged
bird. Barrows ° in 1881 recorded Calopezus only from the neighborhood
of Bahia Blanca, though he covered the region to the northward
as far as Carhue and Puan, so that there may be something
in the belief that the species is extending its range. Carhue is
situated in west central Buenos Aires, a point within the more
watered section of the eastern pampas. No specimens of crested
tinamou were secured here, so that these notes are placed questionably
under the subspecies elegans. The form known as morenoi
which occurs in western Pampa was found in more arid country,
though the eastern limit of its range is not known.
On December 15 a copeton, as the birds were known locally,
flushed with a startled note direct from a nest containing three
beautiful eggs. The nest was a slight hollow scratched out under
the lee of a low hillock of earth in ground partly bare of vege-
tation, though a fringe of grasses partly overhung the nest cavity.
A few bits of grass stems carelessly arranged formed an attempt at
nest lining, but lay at one side where they were no protection to
the eggs. The whole formed as crude and carelessly constructed
a nest as I have seen, save among such groups as shore birds and
goatsuckers. Tlie eggs have the usual shining glasslike surface
and vary in color from cosse to calliste green. One has the side
discolored to a light yellowish olive. They measure as follows:
51.9 by 40.5, 51.9 by 38.9, 51.7 by 38.5 mm. (PL 8.)
Many Calopezus were offered for sale in the markets of Buenos
Aires during winter. Those examined were in part at least of the
typical subspecies. It is probable, however, that the forms marketed
there include the western and northern subspecies as well.
CALOPEZUS ELEGANS MORENOI Chubb
Calopezus elegans morenoi Chubb, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 38, Dec. 12,
1917, p. 31. (Neuquen, Argentina.)
Adult females of the crested tinamou were taken at General Roca,
Rio Negro, Argentina, on November 25 and 26, 1920, and males on
December 2 and 3. A chick not more than 2 days old was collected
on December 3. An immature female about half grown was taken
December 27 near Victorica, Territory of Pampa, and an adult female
with a nearly grown male at Tunuyan, Province of Mendoza, on
» Auk, vol. 1, 1884, p. 318.