62 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



recorded at Las Palmas, Chaco, on July 27 and 31, while near the 

 Riacho Pilaga, in east central Formosa, the species was common. 

 On August 21 I examined one that had been killed near the station 

 known as Fontana at Kilometer 182 on the Government railroad. 

 One was observed near the town of Formosa on August 24, and a 

 short distance inland the birds were common. In eastern Buenos 

 Aires scattered individuals were seen east of Dolores on October 22, 

 while from October 27 to November 16 the species was common in 

 the marshes in the vicinity of Lavalle and extended west as far as 

 Santo Domingo. None were observed in western Buenos Aires. In 

 Uruguay I saw this species in small numbers at the Laguna Castillos, 

 near San Vicente, on January 31, and farther north near the Paso 

 Alamo on the Arroyo Sarandi on February 2. Scattered individuals 

 were noted near Lazcano on February 6 and 7. 



This handsome bird is an inhabitant of Avet, open savannas where 

 woodland does not encroach too closely, or of extensive marshes and 

 wet meadows on the pampas. Its large size and contrasted colors 

 render it conspicuous, and it is a species that will become rarer as its 

 range is invaded more extensively by man. In the wilder d^istricth 

 Maguari storks were v^ary, as is any large bird that is hunted con- 

 stantly, but on some of the extensiA^e estancias in eastern Buenos 

 Aires, particularly at Los Yngleses, the great birds were seldom 

 molested, so they had become accustomed to herdsmen and others 

 passing through their haunts and paid little attention to men. In 

 the air these storks fly with neck outstretched and legs extended, 

 beating the broad wings strongly to gain momentum for a glide or 

 sail that may carry them for a long distance. At times they circle 

 with outspread wings, frequently rising a hundred meters or more 

 in the air. They evidence considerable interest in intrusions in their 

 haunts and swing back and forth overhead, turning the head curi- 

 ously to eye the intruder below. Where not molested they may pass 

 at 50 or 60 meters, but usually are more wary. In flight the peculiar 

 fork of the short, black-colored tail is readily seen through the mesh 

 of the white under tail coverts that project beyond the ends of the 

 longest rectrices. 



It was not unusual in favorable situations in the Chaco to find 30 

 or 40 of these storks gathered in a scattered band, though elsewhere 

 they were less gregarious. It is possible that these congregations 

 represented migratory bands come up for Avinter from the south. 

 These storks were silent so far as my observation extended, save that 

 a bird with a broken wing clattered its bill loudly, but made no 

 attempt to strike at me. The species is known in Guarani as tuyuyii 

 and in Spanish as cigiiena. A male and a female that I killed on 

 October 28 near Lavalle, Buenos Aires, were not breeding, though in 

 fully adult plumage. The female slioAved the following colors: Tip 



