i k' N
11 III 11
■ ■)'- mC V 9 "■
i - f S v « ‘
P l a t e XCVI.
C EN T IU T E S OREAS.
(.ANDEAN CENTEITES).
An th u s fu lv u s
Centrites niger
Centrites oreas
d’Orb. Voy. Ois. p. 223 (p a rtim ).
Sel. e t Salv, P.Z.S. 1867, p. 9 87, c t 1
Scl. e t Salv. P.Z.S. 1869, p. 154.
N ig e r: dorso castaneo : remigum p rima rio rum pogoniis in te rn is a lb ic a n tib u s : long, to tâ 5'5, alæ 3 '2 , caudæ 2 0 .
Fem. F u s ca : dorso lu rid è castaneo : primariis, sic u t in ma ri, alb ican tib u s , sed cinnamomeo tin c tis .
Ha b . I u montibus elevatia Pcruviæ e t Boliviæ.
4Vhen we first received specimens o f this bird in one o f Mr. H en iy Whitely’s recent collections
from Western Peru, we failed to detect its distinctness from the well-lcnown Centrites niger
o f Patagonia and the Argcntme republic. At first sight, indeed, these differences are not very
apparent, and d’Orbigny before us had united the two birds under one name. But the receipt
o f additional specimens in one o f Mr. Whitely’s subsequent collections having induced us to
look more closely into the matter, we discovered certain constant differences between them, and
thereupon described the present species under the name Centrites oreas from its mountain habitat.
Centrites oreas, as we shall now show, differs from Cenb-ites niger in tivo very noticeable
characters. In the first place it has the inner webs o f the primaries dull white for the greater
portion o f theii* length, passing, however, mto broivnish-black at their extremities. Tho outei*
wehs o f the primaries are also much less deeply coloured than in C. niger, in which the whole
wing, both externally and internally, is o f an uniform deep black. This wdiitish colouring o f
the inner wehs of the wing feathers is also found in the female o f C. oreas : in the female o f
C. niger, according to our specimens, the primaries are tinged ivitli pale fulvous. A second
very obvious difference is in the colour o f the back, which in the present bii-d is o f a much duller
hue, and less tinged ivitli chestnut than in C. niger. We have therefore little doubt that the
two species should be considered as distinct, and as representatives o f each other in different
areas : the one occupying the low plains o f the whole southern portion o f the South American
continent, the other taking its place iu the highlands o f Peru and Bolivia.
D ’Orbigny’s notes, which apply as well to this species and its ally, state that it is generally
met with in small flocks composed of a small number o f males and many females or young birds,
and is usually found on well-watered plains or on the banks o f brooks aud rivers. Like the Larks
{Alauda), which it much resembles in habit, it seems to prefer beaten tracks and pathways,
and may be frequently noticed running rapidly in such spots or stalking gravely along in search
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