146 BULLETIN 133^ UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



where they had some protection from the gales that swept the 

 pampa. A dozen were noted here on December 16 and more on 

 December 18. 



Family SCOLOPACIDAE 



PHAEOPUS HUDSONICUS (Latham) 



Numenius hudsonicus Latham, Index Orn., vol. 2, 1790, p. 712. (Hudson 

 Bay.) 



One was recorded on the beach at Concon, Cliile, April 25, 1921. 



RARTRAMIA LONGICAUDA (Bechstein) 



Tringa longicauda Bechstein, in Latham, Allg. Ueb. Vogel, vol. 4, pt. 2, 

 1812, p. 453. (North America.) 



Formerly abundant, the upland plover is now rare in the re<2:ion 

 where it spends the period of northern winter. Its winter range 

 on the open pampa is a region so vast that it is difficult to form a 

 proper estimate of the actual number of individuals of the species 

 that remain. , Among epicures the species has inherited in part the 

 name and reputation of the Eskimo curlew and is sought con- 

 stantly by gunners to supply that demand. The few that survive 

 frequent remote regions on some of the large estancias where they 

 are secure until they leave their seclusion and begin their return 

 flight northward. The majority of those that I noted were identi- 

 fied by their liquid calls, heard, as is the case in Washington, as 

 they passed at night. 



They were noted first at Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay, on September 

 29, 1920, when several passed in the evening driving southward 

 over the Paraguay River. Others were recorded at Villa Con- 

 cepcion, Paraguay, on October 3, also in passage down river. Dur- 

 ing October, November, and December none were recorded, a sig- 

 nificant indication of the present-day rarity of the species, as dur- 

 ing this period I traversed hundreds of miles of pampa where the 

 birds had formerly been abundant. Not until the spring migra- 

 tion northward began did I again note the upland plover. 



The first was seen at La Paloma, below Rocha, Urugay, on Jan- 

 uary 23, 1921. On February 7, near Lazcano, Uruguay, two passed 

 at daybreak driving directly northward, and another in similar 

 flight was heard about 10 in the evening on February 22 at Con- 

 cordia, Entre Rios. 



During the latter part of February and the first half of March, 

 batitu, as the bird is Imown locally, was a regular item on the bill 

 of fare in the better class hotels and restaurants in the city of 

 Buenos Aires. I was told that now they were difficult to secure 

 as few were offered for sale. The game market was closed by law 

 at this season so that the birds were not offered openly, but reached 



