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

BIRDS OF ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY. AND CHILE 425
These finches were found associated with chingolos {Brachyspiza)
in growths of more or less open brush and weeds. Three seen rested
quietly on low perches, easily distinguished from Brachys'piza by
their larger size and grayer coloration. In color and bearing they
are strikingly similar to North American song sparrows. Those
taken uttered a sharp, chipping note. They were breeding at this
season.
EMBERNAGRA PLATENSIS (Gmelin)
Emberiza platensu Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 886. (Buenos
Aires.
)
In a review of the genus ETnbemagra, Chubb ^* has recognized
three forms of E. platensis, the typical subspecies from "eastern
Argentina," E. p. poliocephala Gray from southern Uruguay, and
E. p. paraguayensis described as new from Paraguay, Rio Parana,
and northeastern Argentina. Of the latter no type is cited, but
from the context it appears that the type specimen may have been
one taken by Foster at Sapucay. E. p. poliocephala is said to dif-
fer from platensis in possessing a whitish abdomen which contrasts
with the bufFy flanks. In material at hand, which includes skins
from San Vicente, Uruguay, and Taquara do Mundo Novo and
Quinta, Rio Grande do Sul, I can see no distinction between birds
from southern Uruguay and those from the opposite shore of the
Rio de la Plata in Buenos Aires.
E. p. paraguayensis is said to have the upper surface darker
green and the abdomen whiter than platensis. A skin from Sapucay,
Paraguay, and one from Resistencia, Chaco, should represent this
race but offer no evident differences from a fair series from Conchitas
and Lavalle, Buenos Aires.
E. platensis was recorded as follows : Resistencia, Chaco, July 9
(male taken) to JuW 10, 1920; Las Palmas, Chaco, July 15 to July
31; Riacho Pilaga, Formosa, August 7 to 21; Formosa, Formosa,
August 23 and 24; Kilometer 25, west of Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay,
September 1; Dolores, Buenos Aires, October 21; Lavalle, Buenos
Aires, October 23 to November 15 (one male and two females taken)
General Roca, Rio Negro ( ,
? ) December 3 ; Carhue, December 15
to 18 ; Carrasco, Uruguay, January 16, 1921 ; San Vicente, Uruguay,
January 26 and 27 (male taken) ; Lazcano, Uruguay, February 5 to
9 ; Rio Negro, Uruguay, February 15 ; Guamini, Buenos Aires, March
3 and 4 (two taken).
A bird of this genus seen near the Rio Negro, below General Roca,
is placed here tentatively, as it was not collected. It is possible that
it was E. 0. gossei.
The present sjoecies inhabited marshy localities, where it ranged
in saw grass or low bushes, or on the pampas at times frequented
2* Ibis, 1918, pp. 1-10, 1 pi.
;