To the River Plate and Back 



beautiful flower. A little farther alon^ between the 

 railway stations known as Pinta and Selva there 

 occurred palms and palmettos, scattered in clumps 

 among the rank grasses, which covered the ground. 



In the neighborhood of Palacios I observed that the 

 land for leagues was covered with tall ant-hills, from 

 eighteen inches to two feet in height. There were 

 literally millions of them crowded together in such 

 proximity to each other that they seemed to occupy 

 almost the entire surface. I should much have liked 



Fig. 27 Carancho. i nat. size. 



to have given them a near inspection. The ants of the 

 tropics have had an important part in the past in form- 

 ing the soil, having performed a service analogous to 

 that which has been rendered in the temperate regions 

 of the north by the earth-worms. 



Everywhere during the long ride I took notice of the 

 fact that birds seemed to be numerous. The nests of 

 the Hornero were frequently seen upon the telegraph- 

 poles beside the tracks. Hawks and burrowing owls were 

 common. I saw a number of specimens of the Caran- 

 cho, (Polyborus tharus) or Caracara, as it is called in 

 Central America, and the northern parts of South 



