BIRDS OF ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 7 



lower as we progressed. The dry season was near its close, and 

 lagoons and streams were disappearing rapidly where they were 

 not already dry. We crossed the stream bed of the Riacho Salado 

 several times, now dry except for occasional alkaline pools, and 

 passed two fair-sized lakes, Laguna Lata and Laguna Perdido. At 

 Kilometer 200 we camped at a lake named Laguna Wall. Here w^e 

 were beyond the limits of the Anguete Indians and encountered the 

 first Lenguas. Seventy-five kilometers beyond was Laguna Verde, 

 and still farther we heard there was a large Indian village. Con- 

 siderable areas of slightly rolling country, with loose sandy loam, 

 were traversed, and extensive thickets of a heavy thorned shrub, 

 Imown as vinal., were encountered. There was evident approach to 

 a more arid section, different from that found nearer the river. (PL 5.) 

 We saw one jaguar, greatly astonished at the apparition of our 

 rapidly moving car, encountered two otters traveling in search of 

 permanent water, and startled occasional small deer, or rheas. Birds 

 were numerous. On September 26 we returned to the home ranch, 

 and on the 28th I arrived again in Puerto Pinasco. On September 

 30 an Indian took me across to the eastern bank of the Rio Paraguay, 

 where I spent the day on the long hill already mentioned, the Cerro 

 Lorito, of limestone formation, which rises 100 meters or more above 

 the stream. Tall forest growth came to the water's edge and har- 

 bored species of birds not seen in the Chaco. Broad stretches of 

 quiet water on either side of the river were covered with masses of 

 floating water hyacinth and other growth, known collectively as 

 camalote. 



On October 2 I took the steamer to Asuncion, where I arrived on 

 October 3, and continued on the 7th by rail to Buenos Aires, reach- 

 ing that city on the 9th. Various matters of business consumed the 

 period until October 19 when I proceeded to Dolores, in the eastern 

 part of the Province of Buenos Aires, by rail, and then on October 

 22 continued east to Lavalle, traveling by motor as far as Conessa 

 and by horse-drawn vehicle for the remainder of the distance. This 

 region is a vast plain, elevated only slightly above sea level, with 

 winding channels or cailadones bordered by rush-grown marshes at 

 frequent intervals. Land was divided into extensive estancias given 

 over mainl}?^ to grazing, so that rural population was limited. Lavalle 

 (formerly called Ajo) is a straggling village on the banks of a 

 small tidal stream known as the Rio Ajo. The land here is lower 

 than at Dolores, so that exceptional tides force water up into some 

 of the streets of the village; 10 kilometers below Lavalle the Ajo 

 flows into the Bay of Samborombon. For this distance the stream 

 is bordered by marshes and alkaline barrens, grown with Salicomia 

 feruviana^ with occasional little elevated spots that support a few 

 low trees or bushes. Tidal channels with soft clay bottoms, difficult 



