194 Mr. H. Dumford on the Birds of 



parting the rushes I was enabled to get a second view of it 

 sitting in the nest, which, however, it left immediately on 

 seeing me. The nest was placed about three feet from the 

 ground, bound to and supported by the reeds which grew close 

 around it. It was oval in shape, and entirely composed of little 

 bits of dead reed cleverly woven together, and forming a struc- 

 ture ten inches in height by seven, outside measurements. 

 The aperture was in the side, and a little over three inches in 

 diameter. How the old bird could so readily enter and leave 

 this hole I do not know. It sat with its head partly pro- 

 jecting. The eggs were two in number, of a dirty white 

 colour, measuring 1*4 inch by 1 ; and as they were con- 

 siderably incubated, I conclude two is the full complement. 

 The food of this species consists of mollusks, larvse ; and once 

 I found the remains of a small fish in the gizzard. Iris dull 

 crimson ; beak pea-green, with a coral-red spot on the side, 

 the base of lower mandible, and the base of upper mandible 

 when the bird is first killed, having a tinge of pale blue ; legs 

 and feet pinkish coral. 



114. Aramides ypecaha (Vieill.) ; Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S. 

 1868, p. 144. 



Common in reed-beds, coming out about dusk and in the 

 early morning to feed. Common at Baradero in April. 



115. PoRZANA spiLOPTERA, sp. uov. (Plate III.) 

 Zapornia spiloptera, Burm. MS. 



I have frequently flushed a small Crake from the "Paja" 

 and rough scrub near the river at Belgrano, but never been 

 able to obtain a specimen. On the 25th August 1876, how- 

 ever, a gardener gave me a bird which his dog had caught in 

 a garden at Belgrano, and which, I think, though I cannot be 

 certain, is of the same species as the small Crakes I have 

 seen before. As far as I can learn, the only other specimen 

 of the bird known is in the Museum of Buenos Ayres, and 

 will be described by Professor Burmeister under the name of 

 Zapornia spiloptera, in his new work on the fauna of this 

 country. This specimen, like mine, was taken in a garden 

 almost in the city of Buenos Ayres. 



