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Show BIRDS. 77 3. SYNALLAXIS RUFOGULARIS, Gould. PLATE XXIII. S. olivaceo fuscus plumis singulis maculd oblong a fusco nigra ; remigibus primariis secundariisque basi fen·ugineo fuscis, apice nigro fuscis,jlavescenti albo ma1-ginatis; lined supercilim·i, mento abdomineque medio jlavescenti albis; guld ferrugineo fuscu; pectorefulvescentifusco, plumis singulis stria pallidiore centrali ornatis. Long. tot. 6-§- unc; rost. t; alw, a; caudw, 3!; tarsi, 1. Head and all the upper surface and two centre tail feathers, brown, with a large oblong patch of brownish black down the centre of each feather; primaries, except the three outer ones, bounded posteriorly with an irregular line ofblack; secondaries, rusty brown at the base, and brown for the remainder of their length, margined all round with greyish olive ; lateral tail feathers brownish black, largely tipped with tawny white; stripe from the nostrils over each eye, chin, and centre of the abdomen, pale buff; sides of the face and throat grey, with a spot of dark brown down the centre of each feather ; in the centre of the throat, a patch of ferruginous brown ; chest, pale brownish buff, with a fine pale stripe down each feather; bill and feet brown. Habitat, Patagonia. (April.) Valparaiso. (September.) These birds are not uncommon on the dry rocky mountains near Valparaiso, and in the valleys of southern Patagonia, where a few thickets gt·ow. They hop actively about the withered herbage and low thickets, and often feed on the ground. The hind claw is weaker and straighter than in most of the other species of this genus. 4. SYNALLAXIS MALUROlDES. S. ma.luroidcs. D'Orb. 4· Lafr. Voy de l'.Amor. Mer. Ois. pl. xiv, f. 2. Mag. de Zoo!. 1837, Cl. 11, pl. 22. My specimens were shot near Maldonado. Iris yellow; tarsi very pale coloured. This species, as well as some others of Synallaxis, Anumbius, and Limnornis, live amongst reeds and other aquatic plants on the borders of lakes, and have the same general habits. I will, therefore, here describe them. They all have the power of crawling very quickly by the aid of their powerful claws and feet, as I soon discovered when they were not killed at once, for then it was scarcely possible to catch them. Their soft tail-feathers show signs of being used, but they nevet· apply them, as the Certhias do, as a means of supporting their bodies. The tail-feathers were (at least dul'ing June) so loosely attached, that I seldom procured a specimen with all of them perfect; and I saw many (especially of S. malu1·oides), flying about with no taiL All the species, or near1y all, utter an |
