(MANY-COLOURED TYRANT.)
+Cyanotis azaræ+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 47; _Durnford, Ibis_,
1877, p. 177 (Buenos Ayres, Centr. Patagonia); _Gibson, Ibis_,
1880, p. 32 (Buenos Ayres); _Döring, Exp. al Rio Negro, Zool._ p.
43 (R. Colorado, R. Negro); _Barrows, Nutt. Bull. Orn. Cl._ viii.
p. 200 (Entrerios, Carhué, Pampas).
_Description._--Above dark bronzy green; head black; superciliaries
yellow; vertical spot crimson; wings black; broad tips of the lesser
wing-coverts and broad edgings of some of the secondaries white,
forming a large white bar on the wing; tail black, greater part of
outer pair of rectrices and outer web and broad tip of next pair and
narrow tips of third pair white; beneath bright ochreous yellow;
chin whitish; crissum crimson; incomplete band across the lower
breast black; under wing-coverts white; bill black; feet dark
flesh-colour: whole length 4·2 inches, wing 2·1, tail 1·7. _Female_
similar.
_Hab._ La Plata, Chili, and Western Peru.
This charming little bird is variously called by the country people
All-coloured or Seven-coloured. Azara called it "The King"--a name which
this species deserves, he says, not only on account of the crown of
loose feathers on its head, but because it is exceeded by few birds in
beauty. It is the most beautiful bird found in Chili, says Gay; and
Darwin, who is seldom moved to express admiration, calls it "an
exquisitely beautiful little bird." There are many species possessing
a more brilliant plumage, none with so great a variety of distinct
colours; for on its minute body, which is less than that of the
House-Wren, are seen black, white, green, blue, orange, yellow, and
scarlet; and all these hues are disposed and contrasted in such a manner
as to produce a very pleasing effect--the olive-green and delicate,
yellow predominating, while the vivid scarlet is a mere spot, like the
bright gem or ornament which serves to set off and enhance the beauty of
the dress. The whole under plumage is pure lovely yellow, while a broad
mark of velvet-black extends belt-wise from the bend of each wing, but
without meeting in the centre of the bosom. The sides of the head are
deep blue; over the blue runs a bright yellow stripe, surmounted with
the loose, slender, almost hair-like feathers of the crown, which stand
partially erect, and are blue mixed with black, with vivid scarlet in
the centre. Above, from the back of the head to the tail, the colour is
deep green. The wings are black, crossed with a white band; tail also
black, the two outer quills pure white, and the succeeding two partially
white, the white colour appearing only when the bird flies. Moreover, as
though this diversity of colour were not enough, the soles of the black
feet are bright orange, the eye of the male delicate sky-blue, while the
female has white eyes.
While on the subject of the colouring of this species, I will mention
a curious phenomenon which I have observed many times. When the bird
is flying away from the spectator in a strong sunlight, and is at a
distance of from twenty to thirty yards from him, the upper plumage,
which is dark green, sometimes appears bright blue. At first I thought
that a distinct species of _Cyanotis_, cerulean blue in colour, existed,
but finally became convinced that the green feathers of the _C. azaræ_
appear blue in certain lights. This seems strange, as the feathers of
the back are not glossed.
The Many-coloured Tyrant is, apparently, a very feeble flier, rising
reluctantly when frightened from the rushes, and fluttering away to a
distance of a few yards, when it again drops down. Yet it is strictly
migratory. Darwin met with it at Maldonado in the month of June, and
therefore concluded that it does not migrate; but he mentions that
it was very rare. I have also occasionally seen one in winter on the
pampas, but many migratory species leave a few stragglers behind in the
same way. At the end of September they suddenly appear all over the
pampas, in every swamp and stream where there are beds of rushes; for in
such situations only is the bird found: and this migration extends far
into Patagonia. They are always seen in pairs amongst the dense rushes,
where they perch on the smooth stems, not near the summit, but close
down to the surface of the water, and perpetually hop from stem to stem,
deftly picking up small insects from the surface of the water. They also
occasionally leave the rushes and search for insects in the grass and
herbage along the border. They are very inquisitive, and if a person
approach the rush-bed, they immediately come out of their concealment,
both birds uttering their singular notes--a silvery, modulated sound,
not meant for a song apparently, and yet I do not know any sweeter,
purer sound in nature than this. All through the close-growing dark
rushes the pretty little melodists may be heard calling to each other
in their delicate, gurgling notes.
The nest is a marvel of skill and beauty. As a rule it is attached to a
single polished rush, two or three feet above the water and about the
middle of the stem. It is cup-shaped inside, and about four inches long,
circular at the top, but compressed at the lower extremity, and ending
in a sharp point. It is composed entirely of soft bits of dry yellow
rush, cemented together with gum so smoothly that it looks as if made
in a mould. The eggs are two in number, oval, and dull creamy white,
sometimes with a ring of colour at the large end.