observed in the Gran Chaco. 219 



near which most of the birds mentioned hereafter were 

 observed^ is a favourite fishing-station of the "Paisiapto"" or 

 " Black-food " division of the Lengua Indians. Situated on 

 an almost imperceptible elevation which rises some two or 

 three feet above the general level of the plain, the settlement 

 is surrounded by country typical of the interior of the Gran 

 Chaco. To the northward is a grassy flat, dotted with the 

 characteristic fan-palms {Copernicia cerifera) and varied by 

 islands of dense dicotyledonous forest or '^ monte.^' To the 

 south, east, and west stretches the great swamp. Looking 

 across to the south-westward it seems like a great meadow, 

 a line of palm-tops on the distant horizon marking its 

 farther edge. Here and there appears an isolated clump of 

 palm-trees indicating the position of an island. To the 

 north-west and south-east it stretches away for an unknown 

 distance, winding hither and thither over the Chaco plain 

 like a great stream. In the swamp there is but little open 

 water ; it is mostly choked up by the dense growth of a tall 

 PapyrusA\ke rush and by coarse swamp-grass bound to- 

 gether by Convolvulaceous and Asclepiadaceous creepers. 

 The deeper parts, through which a sluggish stream meanders, 

 are marked by the soft green colour of the big leaves of 

 the Thalia or " Peguaho " as it is called in Guarani. 

 Where there does happen to be a piece of water free from 

 the larger vegetation its surface is covered by an unbroken 

 mass of floating plants, especially Pistia and Azolla, upon 

 which we generally found a flock of Ja9anas, daintily picking 

 their way about, and pausing now and then to stretch 

 their beautiful lemon-coloured wings vertically upwards and 

 to hold them motionless in that position, in the charming way 

 so characteristic of this bird. Here and there, especially 

 during the rainy season, were to be seen a small flock of such 

 Ducks as Cairina moschata or Dendrocijcna viduata, with a 

 single individual or pair of the very shy Crested Duck (Sarci- 

 diornis caru7iculata) . The swamp furnishes the Indians with 

 their chief fishing-grounds. The Indian fisherman wades 

 through the coarse grass with a long and slender spear, watch- 

 ing for the tell-tale quiver of the vegetation which betrays the 

 presence of a Lepidosiren underneath ; or he makes his way 



