19 



they were all hlachvmged or Andean Geese (Bern, melanop- 

 tera). I could even see some of the birds showing off, 

 puffing themselves up as a tame bird which I had kept 

 many years used to do. 



I was not a little pleased to see these Geese in their 

 native haunts and as I stopped I saw them quietly grazing 

 towards me the white and black very conspicuous. 



In the musemn of Santiago there is a chick in down of 

 Beniicia melanoptera (Marked Febr. 26th, Cordilleras de 

 Santiago) which is coloured as follows: 



White, a black line from the frontal base of the bill 

 over the head the neck and the back over the tail (so 

 that the tail is black). 



Black cross line over the wings and a black spot over 

 each thigh. 



A black spot over each ear. 



A young bird of the year in its first dress is similar 

 to the adults, but the black spots on the wings are not 

 so dark and not so well defined. All the black is more 

 brownish. There is no difference in the colour of the sexes 

 in the adults, but the female seems to be slightly smaller. 



To complete the sight some beautiful Blackfaced Ibisses 

 (Theristicus melanops) now came near. They were most 

 ornamental with their buff ad grey plumage and rosy 

 legs, — and also some Cayenne Plovers appeared, noisy 

 as usual. 



After having let the birds come as near as they would 

 I could stay no longer but went on after my companions 

 and after having again passed innumerable Chimangos and 

 perhaps the same Black Waterrail we reached after a 

 three hours ride Los Sauces station. 



My companions having declared that they gave up the 

 search of the Auracaria woods I decided to leave alone the 

 train at Angol after having arranged to pick them up again 

 farther on. 



Angol station had a hopeful look for me as the courtyard 

 was planted with Auracarias which however belonged to 

 a brazilian species. 



^Notes from the Leyden Museum, Vol. XXXV. 



