1/8 To the River PUlc and Kuk 



(Frontispiece, Figs. i i and 12) ; we obtained a few 

 moths and dragonflies. Then at the suggestion of the 

 boy we got into a boat and crossed over to the low shore 

 on the opposite side of a creek which runs through the 

 land. Here we saw in the water a number of large 

 fishes known by the natives as the Dorado, golden in 

 color, swimming about in circles just under the surface, 

 and evidently in distress. Dead fishes of this and other 

 species were everywhere visible. The strange disease 

 of which I have already spoken in a previous chapter 

 was doing its deadly work among the finny denizens 

 of these streams. Just as we landed a flock of birds 

 came circling through the air and alighted upon a tall 

 dead tree not far off. My companion at once called 

 my attention to them and told me that they were 

 green parrakeets (Bolborhynchus monachus). The cor- 

 rectness of the determination was quickly confirmed 

 by my opera-glasses. It was interesting to watch them 

 as they climbed about among the branches using their 

 bills as well as their feet. They were noisy and quick 

 and restless in their movements. These birds once 

 were very numerous in Argentina, but have been very 

 cruelly persecuted in recent years, so that their numbers 

 have greatly diminished. The squabs when about 

 ready to fly are esteemed a delicacy, and, as the birds 

 nest in colonies, they are meeting the same fate which 

 has already befallen the beautiful Carolina parrakeet, 

 which once was common in the valley of the Ohio and 

 southward, but which is now extinct. Hudson in de- 

 scribing the nesting-habits of these birds says : 



The nests are suspended from the extremities of the 

 branches, to which they are firmly woven. New nests con- 

 sist of only two chambers, the porch and the nest proper, 



