4 BIRDS OF LA PLATA 
brick walls, where it is seen deftly inserting its 
slender crimson bill into the small spider-holes in 
search of prey. The nest, like that of most humming- 
birds, is a small, beautifully-made structure, com- 
posed of a variety of materials held closely together 
with spiders’ webs, and is placed on a branch, or 
in a fork, or else suspended from slender drooping 
vines or twigs. Sometimes the nest is suspended to 
the thatch overhanging the eaves of a cottage, for 
except where persecuted the bird is quite fearless of 
man’s presence. The eggs are two, and white. 
Besides the little creaking chirp uttered at short 
intervals while flying or hovering, this species has a 
set song, composed of five or six tenuous and squeak- 
ing notes, uttered in rapid succession when the bird 
is perched, It is a song like that of the European 
Goldcrest in shape, and resembles it in sound, but 
is less musical, or more squeaky. 
NACUNDA GOATSUCKER 
Podager nacunda 
Above brown with black vermiculations and blotches; wings 
black with a broad white bar across the base of the primaries; four 
outer tail-feathers broadly tipped with white; breast brown variegated 
with black; chin fulvous; band across throat and belly white; 
length 11, wing 9.5 inches. Female similar but without white 
on tail. 
THE specific name of this Goatsucker is from the 
Guarani word Nacundda, which Azara tells us is the 
Indian nickname for any person with a very large 
