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

34 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
many times in low, marshy ground where cover is more abundant
than on the uplands. The birds seem more at ease and more common,
however, in regions where low grasses or similar vegetation
offer shelter.
Males were heard giving their low piping whistle, a single note
repeated with increasing rapidity until it terminated in a trill,
during the whole year, though more commonly in spring. They
run rapidly with head and neck erect, and sloping back so that
in attitude they suggest guinea fowl. In feeding they walk
rapidly with nodding heads, pecking at the tender herbage. When
frightened the birds crouch and remain motionless, or run quickly
aside to flush with a thunder of wings when closely pressed.
Spotted tinamon rise with a rush, throwing the feet back under the
tail when under way ; after a series of rapid strokes of the rounded
wings they scale for a short distance and then stroke again to avoid
losing momentum, continuing to fly and sail alternately until safe,
when they scale to the ground. Flight is accompanied by a strange
whirring whistle that might be considered vocal, but is evidently
mechanical in its origin, as the sound is heard only when the wings
are beating sAviftly, and ceases when the birds are scaling with
motionless pinions. The flight is well controlled, as at times I saw
them rush away down wind at a tremendous speed. In alighting,
however, the birds often seem awkward, as they scale down to
within 2 or 3 feet of the ground and then throw the wings up and
drop heavily to earth, when two or three hops or a little run are
taken to stop their momentum; often the bird may stumble and
fall forward in its breast. The flight is direct and swift, and the
roar made in rising disconcerting but the birds are easily killed
once one has learned to gauge their speed.
Near Carhue on December 16 I flushed one direct from a nest
placed in a little hollow under a clump of grass growing on a low
hillock. The nest hollow was lined with grasses and contained
four eggs, with incubation begun. The eggs are dusky drab in
color with highly polished surface that, though apparently smooth,
contains many small rounded pits. These eggs measure 40.4 by
31.1, 41.1 by 31.9, 41.8 by 31.3, 42.7 by 32.0 mm. On December 17
in this same region I flushed several young birds ranging in size
from the bulk of a zenaida dove to nearly grown, and found that
they flew as readily as adults. Adults and young fly with the
neck curved so that the head is held slightly erect. The species is
known universally as jyerdiz.
Spotted tinamous are exposed for sale in large numbers in the
markets of the city of Buenos Aires, and form one of the staple
game birds offered in hotels, restaurants, or occasionally as a sub-
stitute for the chicken served unfailingly at meals on railroad dining