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Show 1832-3. MALDONADO. 62 lains without art d r on· the open p . eminently sociable, an Ives one knows, is a smgu-or disguise :* th~ cuckoo, as eve;-ost retired thick~ts, and larly shy bird; It freque~ts the In structure these brrds are . d caterpillars. feeds on frmt an m each other. likewise widely ret~oved fro ther birds, which are ve.ry com- 1 will only mention two o . t from their habits. The d render themselves prommenh t American tribe mon, an . ty ical of t e grea h Saurophagus sulphureus IS . p t ucture it closely approac es Of Tyrant-flycatchers. ln Itsbs' r y be compared to many . b t . its ha Its ma h . the true shnkes, u m d 't hunting a field, overmg b. ds I have frequently observe I' edi'ng on to another. Ir . k d then proce . Over one spot like a haw ' an. h . it might very readi1 y Whe ded m t e au, . n thus seen suspen f of the Rapacious b · taken or one at a short distance e mis . . nferior in force and ra-order; its stoop, however, ISs very hi agus haunts the neigh- . the aurop · · pidity. At other times ere like a kingfisher, remammg bourhood of water, and th 'll fi h which may come near stationary' it catches .a~y sma not s unfrequently kept either the margin. These bu s a:;h their wings cut. They soon in cages' or in courtyards WI . from their cunning odd become tame, an d ar e very .a musmg s being si. mi'l a r t o · h descnbed to me, a f manners, whiC were . Th . flight is undulatory, or magpie. eir h those of the common and bill appear too great for t e the weight of the ~ead S uro hagus takes its stand on a body. In the evenmg :h~ d a anX continually repeats, withbush, often by the roa -si e, ble cry which some-h ·n d rather agreea ' . · out change, a s n . an ords The Spaniards say It IS What resembles articulate w I. ell) and accord- like the words, " Bi. en t e veo " ( see you w ' ingly have given it this name. d l t called by the inha- A mocking-bird., 01'pheus mo u a or, sing a song far bitants Calandria, is remarka~l.e,df:o~h~o::::try : indeed, it superior to that of an! ot~er lf ~n America which I have ios h sneeravrled y ttoheta::lfts ~~a~~nfo~o:e purpose of singing. rrhe * See Azara, vol. iii., P· 170· 1832-3. ORNITHOLOGY. 63 song may be compared to that of the Sedge warbler, but is more powerful ; some harsh notes and some very high ones, being mingled with a pleasant warb~ing. It is heard only during the spring. At other times its cry is harsh and far from harmonious. It frequents thickets and hedges, is very active, and whilst quickly hopping about, often expands its tail. Near Maldonado these birds were tame and bold; they constantly attended in numbers the country houses, to pick the meat which was hung up on the posts or walls : if any other small bird joined the feast, the Calandria directly chased it away. On the wide uninhabited plains of Patagonia another closely allied species, 0. Patagonica of D'Orbigny, which frequents the valleys clothed with spiny bushes, is a wilder bird, and has a slightly different tone of voice. It appears to me a curious circumstance, as showing the fine shades of difference in habits, that, judging from this latter respect alone, when I first saw this second species, I thought it was different from the Maldonado kind. Having afterwards procured a specimen, and comparing the two without particular care, they appeared so very similar, that I changed my opinion ; but now Mr. Gould* says that they are certainly distinct; a conclusion in conformity with the trifling difference of habit, of which, however, he was not aware. I will conclude these few ornithological observations with an account of the various carrion-feeding hawks which frequent the extratropical parts of South America. The number, tameness, and disgusting habits of these birds, make them pre-eminently striking to any one accustomed only to the birds of Northern Europe. In this list may be included four species of the Caracara or Polyborus, the Turkey buzzard, the Gallinazo, and the Condor. The Caracaras are, from their structure, placed among the eagles : we shall soon see how ill they become so high a rank. In their habits they well supply the place of our carrion-crows, magpies, and ravens ; a tribe of birds which is totally wanting in South * Mr. Gould was not at the time aware that M. D'Orbigny had described them as different. |