10 BULJUETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



stretching inland from muddy bays, where shore birds were common. 

 Woody vegetation was confined to low shrubs (mainly Grahwmia 

 hracteata), except where willows or eucalypts grew about scattered 

 houses. Broad areas were covered with Salicornia. December 14 I 

 moved north by rail to Carhue, Buenos Aires, a small town just be- 

 yond the Sierra de la Ventana, with a large lake of strongly saline 

 water known as Lago Epiquen near by. The country here was 

 rolling and was divided, as usual, into large estates given to grazing 

 or the cultivation of wheat. Hollows on the pampa were occupied by 

 little ponds or marshes, and extensive upland^ were grown with bunch 

 grass. Thousands of grebes were present on the large lake, attracted 

 perhaps by myriads of brine shrimp, but were preparing to move 

 to their breeding grounds elsewhere. After a few days spent in ob- 

 servation and collecting in this somewhat high pampa, on December 

 21 I continued by rail by way of Alta Vista, Darragueira, and Pico 

 to Victorica, in the Gobernacion de Pampa, where I arrived Decem- 

 ber 22. Rolling sand dunes mingled with more level areas at this 

 point and there were extensive tracts of open forest of calden {Pro- 

 sopis nigra), a thick-trunked, short-limbed tree, with lower growth 

 of smaller trees, spiny shrubs, and stalked cacti. The region had 

 been reported as one of many lagoons, but the present season had 

 been extremely dry so that little water remained, and water-loving 

 birds had perforce departed for other regions. The drought broke 

 after Christmas, and two tremendous downpours filled all hollows 

 with water. Small brush and tree haunting birds were very 

 abundant here, but their tenure is limited, as land is being steadily 

 cleared for wood or for cultivation. The belt of forest (pi. 9) was 

 reported to extend for many kilometers north and south. On De- 

 cember 31 I departed by rail for Buenos Aires, where I arrived the 

 following day. 



January 7, 1921, I embarked on a steamer and early the follow- 

 ing morning arrived in Montevideo, Uruguay, where I was oc- 

 cupied in various official matters for nearly two weeks, with time 

 only for excursions along the coast to Carrasco, a summer resort, 

 or to some of the numerous parks. On January 22 I proceeded 

 by train to San Carlos and crossed by motor to Rocha in eastern 

 Uruguay. The following morning I went for the day by train to 

 the port of Rocha, known as La Paloma, where I found an ex- 

 tensive sand beach bordered inland by rolling pampa, cut by steep- 

 walled gullies that sheltered dense thickets. Returning to Rocha 

 the following morning I continued by motor from Rocha to San 

 Vicente de Castillos, called locally Castillos, and shown on most 

 maps as San Vicente. Inland, rounded hills, with frequent ex- 

 posures of granite, rose with slopes grown with thickets and low 

 trees. The Cerro Navarro, northeast of town, was especially promi- 



