(REED-TYRANT.)
+Arundinicola flaviventris+, _d'Orb. Voy., Ois._ p. 335, pl. xxxi.
fig. 1. +Hapalocercus flaviventris+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii.
p. 456 (Mendoza); _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 46; _Durnford,
Ibis_, 1877, p. 177 (Buenos Ayres), et 1878, p. 395 (Centr.
Patagonia); _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 605 (Buenos Ayres);
_Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl._ viii. p. 199 (Entrerios).
_Description._--Above mouse-brown; wings and tail rather darker,
with edgings like the back; vertex more or less tinged with rufous;
beneath yellow; under wing-coverts pale yellow; bill and feet black:
whole length 4·0 inches, wing 2·0, tail 2·0. _Female_ similar.
_Hab._ S. Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, La Plata, and Chili.
This little bird is rarely met with in the desert pampas, but throughout
the settled portion of the Buenos-Ayrean province it is one of the
most common species of the _Tyrannidæ_. It arrives from the north in
September, and is very regular in its migrations, although apparently
a very feeble flier. It frequents open grounds abounding in thistles,
tall weeds, or bushes, and is consequently most abundant about houses.
It is extremely active, and occasionally darts after a passing insect
and captures it on the wing, especially soft insects, like moths and
butterflies, to which it is most partial. It subsists principally,
however, on small caterpillars and spiders, for which it searches
diligently among the leaves, after the manner of the Wren. Although
belonging to the songless division of the Passeres, this small
Tyrant-bird possesses a formal song, which the male utters with
great frequency, the only other member of the Tyrant-family that I
am acquainted with which really sings being the Scarlet Tyrant
(_Pyrocephalus rubescens_). The music of the Reed-Tyrant is weak but
curious; it is composed of five brief percussive notes, distinctly
metallic in sound, which may be imitated by gently and slowly striking
_fa la mi sol fa_ on the highest keys of the piano. To utter this quaint
little song the bird perches itself on the summit of a weed or bush,
where it solicits attention with a little chipping prelude, and then
jerks its head vigorously with each note, delivering its few drops of
sound with all the assurance of a master in the art of melody.
In October it builds a deep elaborate nest of fine dry grass,
thistle-down, webs, feathers, and other soft materials, usually in the
fork of a weed or thistle three or four feet from the ground. It lays
four cream-coloured eggs, the colour deepening to grey at the larger
end.