Argentine Ornithology Volume Ii Part 36

420. +Tringa arenaria+, _Seebohm, Plovers_, p. 431.

_Description._--No hind toe. Above in summer light rufous, in winter light greyish, spotted and striped with blackish and edged with whitish: beneath white; bill and feet black: whole length 75 inches, wing 55, tail 22. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ Arctic regions of both hemispheres, descending far south in winter.

The Sanderling is one of the most widely spread of all the Arctic Grallae during its winter migration. Durnford obtained examples at Tombo Point, Central Patagonia, on the 30th December, 1877, so that it must necessarily pa.s.s through the Argentine Republic. It is only known to breed in the high Northern Polar lands.

403. TOTa.n.u.s MELANOLEUCUS (Gm.).

(GREATER YELLOWSHANK.)

+Tota.n.u.s melanoleucus+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 503; _Baird, Brew., et Ridgw. Water-B. N. A._ i. p. 269; _Seebohm, Plovers_, p. 363; _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 315 (Entrerios). +Gambetta melanoleuca+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 145; _iid. P. Z. S._ 1868, p. 144 (Buenos Ayres); _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 199 (Buenos Ayres); _Withington, Ibis_, 1888, p. 472 (Lomas de Zamora). +Tota.n.u.s chilensis+, _Philippi, Wiegm. Arch._ 1857, pt.

i. p. 264 (Chili).

_Description._--Above brownish grey spotted with white; rump nearly white: beneath white; throat and neck with black streaks; bill black; feet yellow: whole length 140 inches, wing 75, tail 34.

_Female_ similar.

_Hab._ North and South America.

The Greater Yellowshank is best known as an Arctic American species, descending south during migration, and arriving in La Plata at the end of September or early in October, singly or in pairs, and sometimes in small flocks. Without ever being abundant the bird is quite common, and one can seldom approach a pool or marsh on the pampas without seeing one or more individuals wading near the margin, and hearing their powerful alarm-cry--a long clear note repeated three times.

These summer visitors leave us in March, and then, oddly enough, others arrive, presumably from the south, to winter on the pampas, and remain from April to August. Thus, notwithstanding that the Yellowshank does not breed on the pampas, we have it with us all the year round.

Durnford's observations agree with mine, for he says that the bird is found throughout the year near Buenos Ayres; and Mr. Barrows writes that this species "occurs every month in the year (at Concepcion in Entrerios), but in increased numbers during August, September, October, and November."

404. TOTa.n.u.s FLAVIPES (Gm.).

(LESSER YELLOWSHANK.)

+Tota.n.u.s flavipes+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 503 (Mendoza, Parana); _Baird, Brew., et Ridgw. Water-B. N. A._ i. p. 273; _Seebohm, Plovers_, p. 364; _Saunders, Yarrell's Birds_, iii. p.

480; _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 315 (Entrerios, Azul). +Gambetta flavipes+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 145; _iid. P. Z. S._ 1868, p. 144 (Buenos Ayres); _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 43 (Chupat) et p. 199 (Buenos Ayres), et 1878, p. 404 (Centr. Patagonia).

_Description._--Above grey, spotted with white and black; upper tail-coverts white, slightly spotted: beneath white; breast greyish, with black specks; bill black; feet yellow: whole length 100 inches, wing 60, tail 26. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ Arctic America, descending south to Chili and Patagonia during migration.

This North-American species is likewise common throughout the year on the pampas, although not nearly so common in winter (June, July, and August) as in summer.

Durnford also found it abundant in Central Patagonia. In habits, language, and in general appearance, except in size, it closely resembles the Greater Yellowshank, and the two species, attracted or deceived by this likeness, are constantly seen a.s.sociating together.

Mr. Barrows, who found it near Concepcion in Entrerios, usually in company with _Tota.n.u.s melanoleucus_, did not observe it in May, June, or July in that locality.

405. RHYACOPHILUS SOLITARIUS (Wils.).

(SOLITARY SANDPIPER.)

+Rhyacophilus solitarius+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 146; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1878, p. 68 (Buenos Ayres); _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 315 (Entrerios, Azul); _Baird, Brew., et Ridgw. Water-B. N. A._ i.

p. 278. +Tota.n.u.s solitarius+, _Seebohm, Plovers_, p. 367.

_Description._--Middle toe nearly as long as tarsus. Above dark olivaceous grey, with blacker markings and slightly speckled with white; upper tail-coverts blackish, barred with white; tail white with blackish bars: beneath white; sides of neck and breast streaked and barred with dusky grey; under wing-coverts blackish, barred with white: whole length 85 inches, wings 50, tail 21. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ Arctic America, descending south to Buenos Ayres during migration.

The well-known and well-named Solitary Sandpiper arrives later than the other birds of its family in La Plata, and differs greatly from them in its habits, avoiding the wet plains and muddy margins of lagoons and marshes where they mostly congregate, and making its home at the side of a small pool well sheltered by its banks, or by trees and herbage, and with a clear margin on which it can run freely. As long as there is any water in its chosen pool, though it may be only a small puddle at the bottom of a ditch, the bird will remain by it in solitary contentment.

When approached it runs rapidly along the margin, pausing at intervals to bob its head, in which habit it resembles the Tatlers or Yellowshanks, and emitting sharp little clicks of alarm. Finally, taking flight, it utters its peculiar and delightful cry, a long note thrice repeated, of so clear and penetrating a character that it seems almost too fine and bright a sound even for so wild and aerial a creature as a bird.

The flight is exceedingly rapid and wild, the bird rising high and darting this way and that, uttering its piercing trisyllabic cry the whole time and finally, das.h.i.+ng downwards, it suddenly drops again on to the very spot from which it rose.

I was once pleased and much amused to discover in a small sequestered pool in a wood, well sheltered from sight by trees and aquatic plants, a Solitary Sandpiper living in company with a Blue Bittern. The Bittern patiently watched for small fishes, and when not fis.h.i.+ng dozed on a low branch overhanging the water; while its companion ran briskly along the margin s.n.a.t.c.hing up minute insects from the water. When disturbed they rose together, the Bittern with its harsh grating scream, the Sandpiper daintily piping its fine bright notes--a wonderful contrast! Every time I visited the pool afterwards I found these two hermits, one so sedate in manner, the other so lively, living peacefully together.

406. ACt.i.tURUS BARTRAMIUS (Wils.).

(BARTRAM'S SANDPIPER.)

+Tota.n.u.s bartramia+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 503 (Mendoza).

+Act.i.turus bartramius+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 146; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 199 (Buenos Ayres); _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 315 (Entrerios); _Withington, Ibis_, 1888, p. 472 (Lomas de Zamora). +Bartramia longicauda+, _Baird, Brew., et Ridgw.

Water-B. N. A._ i. p. 296. +Tota.n.u.s bartrami+, _Seebohm, Plovers_, p. 376.

_Description._--Above blackish, feathers edged with yellowish brown; rump black; wing-coverts yellowish brown, barred with black; primaries blackish: beneath white; breast and flanks ochraceous, spotted and barred with black; under surface of wings barred with white and black; bill yellowish, tip black; feet yellow: whole length 100 inches, wing 63, tail 31. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ North America, migrating south to Buenos Ayres.

Bartram's Sandpiper is another of those species which breed in North America, and extend their winter-migrations far into the Southern Hemisphere. It differs, however, from its fellow-migrants, which visit the Argentine country, in its wide and even distribution over all that portion of the pampas where the native coa.r.s.e gra.s.ses which once covered the country have disappeared, an area comprising not less than 50,000 square miles. It begins to arrive as early as September, coming singly or in small parties of three or four; and, extraordinary as the fact may seem when we consider the long distance the bird travels, and the monotonous nature of the level country it uses as a "feeding area," it is probable that every bird returns to the same spot year after year; for in no other way could such a distribution be maintained, and the birds appear every summer evenly sprinkled over so immense a surface.

On the pampas the bird is called _Chorlo solo_, on account of its solitary habit, but more commonly "Bat.i.tu," an abbreviation of the Indian name Mbatuitui. In disposition it is shy, and prefers concealment to flight when approached, running rapidly away through the long gra.s.s or thistles, or concealing itself behind a tussock until the danger is past, or often, where the herbage is short, crouching on the ground like a Snipe. It runs swiftly and pauses frequently; and while standing still with head raised it jerks its long tail up and down in a slow measured manner. When driven up it springs aloft with a sudden wild flight, uttering its loud mellow-toned cry, composed of three notes, strongly accented on the first and last; and sometimes, when the bird is much alarmed, the first note is rapidly repeated several times like a trill.

After flying a very short distance it drops to the ground again, agitating its wings in a tremulous manner as it comes down. In this motion of the wings, also in many of its gestures, on the ground, its skulking habits, and reluctance to fly it is more like a Rail than a Snipe. It also, Rail-like, frequently alights on trees and fences, a habit I have not remarked in any other Limicoline species.

It inhabits the pampas from September until March; but early in February the great return-migration begins, and then for two months the mellow cry of the Bat.i.tu is heard far up in the sky, at all hours, day and night, as the birds wing their way north. In some seasons stragglers are found throughout the month of April, but before the winter arrives not one is left.

407. TRYNGITES RUFESCENS (Vieill.).

(BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER.)

+Tryngites rufescens+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 146; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 200 (Buenos Ayres); _Baird, Brew., et Ridgw.

Water-B. N. A._ i. p. 305; _Saunders, Yarrell's Birds_, iii. p.

435. +Tringa rufescens+, _Seebohm, Plovers_, p. 446.

_Description._--Above dark brownish black, each feather widely edged with buff; wings blackish, narrowly tipped with white, the inner half of the inner web whitish reticulated with black; tail blackish, the outer rectrices lighter, each with subterminal black crescent and white terminal edge: beneath buff, darker on the throat and breast, and edged with whitish, lighter on flanks and belly; under primary-coverts barred and reticulated with black, like the inner web of the primaries, and forming a marked contrast with the rest of the under surface of the wing, which is pure white: whole length 77 inches, wing 53, tail 25. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ Arctic America, descending south to Buenos Ayres in winter.

This species is also an annual visitor to the pampas from the Arctic regions where it breeds. It begins to arrive, usually in small bodies, early in the month of October; and during the summer is seldom met with in flocks of any size on the pampas, but is usually seen on the dry open ground a.s.sociating in small numbers with the Golden Plover, the Whimbrel, and other northern species. I, however, think it probable that it travels further south than its fellow-migrants from North America, and has its princ.i.p.al feeding-grounds somewhere in the interior of Patagonia; also that its northern journey takes place later than that of other species. In some seasons I have observed these birds in April and May, in flocks of two to five hundred, travelling north, the birds flying very low, flock succeeding flock at intervals of about fifteen minutes, and continuing to pa.s.s for several days.

408. LIMOSA HaeMASTICA (Linn.).