BIRDS OF ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 5 



^ocks of maguari storks, coiirlans, and other strange birds were 

 numerous. In mid-afternoon I reached my destination, Kilometer 

 182 (known locally as Fontana), and there left the railroad at the 

 hospitable invitation of Don Pedro Upitz to continue by oxcart 

 northwest for 15 kilometers to the estancia Linda Vista on the 

 Riacho Pilaga. Seilor Upitz had come in here as a colonist four 

 years before, and had established himself beyond the limit of scant 

 settlement in open country ranged by the Tobas. For several miles 

 on either side of the railroad the forest had been cut away, but at 

 the Riacho Pilaga tree growth was in its original condition. Open 

 savannas, often of a marshy nature, mingled with scattered groves, 

 while near the small sluggish streams, known as riachos, were 

 extensive forests with a jungle undergrowth that, as it was not 

 grazed, required a machete to penetrate. Several lagoons, some 

 covered with matted vegetation that drifted about with the wind, 

 offered attraction to water birds. The savannas were grown with 

 bunch grass that seldom attained great height as it was burned 

 yearly by the Indians to drive out concealed game. An extensive 

 forest, known as the Monte Ingles, lay near a little frequented 

 stream, the Riacho Ingles. The country as a whole was higher 

 than that immediately west of Formosa and was now comparatively 

 dry. It is inundated extensively during the summer rains. Frost 

 was frequent; the first intimation of spring came toward the close 

 of my stay with the blossoming of the tree known as lapacho 

 {Teconia ohtusata). On August 21 I returned to Formosa for 

 further work for a few days. (Pis. 2 and 5.) 



On August 26 I passed my equipment through the Argentine 

 customs in Formosa and crossed by rowboat to Alberdi, Paraguay, 

 a little town on the opposite side of the Rio Paraguay, where pas- 

 sage was secured by steamer for Asuncion. The following morning 

 I had a view of the winding outlet of the Rio Pilcomayo, and a short 

 time later landed in Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay. Through 

 the kindness of officials of the International Products Co., I re- 

 ceived permission to visit their extensive land holdings in Alto 

 Paraguay, and on August 28 set out up river again for Puerto 

 Pinasco. 



The Rio Paraguay this season was higher than normal by several 

 feet, the water was tinged a dull olive, though with little sediment, 

 and the current ran swiftly. On the west the shores were uniformly 

 low, but low hills appeared at intervals on the eastern bank. At 

 long intervals we stopped at small towns, and once or twice remained 

 for several hours to take on wood used as fuel. The boat arrived 

 at Puerto Pinasco, marked on older maps as Puerto Stanley, at 

 daybreak on August 31. At this point the river is deflected to the 

 west by a long hill projecting from higher country behind, and flows 



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