66 BIRDS OF LA PLATA 
heres 2 Ph ineteeaiatee has possibly served to 
make them swifter of wing, keener of sight, and 
bolder in attack than elsewhere. I have seen a 
Buzzard, which is not considered the bravest of the 
Hawks, turn quick as lightning on a Spur-wing 
Lapwing, which was pursuing it, and, grappling it, 
bear it down to the ground and despatch it in a 
moment, though a hundred other Lapwings were 
uttering piercing screams above it. Yet this Plover 
is a large, powerful, fierce-tempered bird, and armed 
with sharp spurs on its wings. This is but one of 
numberless instances I have witnessed of the extreme 
strength and daring of our Hawks. 
When shooting birds to preserve I used to keep 
an anxious eye on the movements of the Chimangos 
flying about, for I have had some fine specimens 
carried off or mutilated by these omnipresent robbers. 
One winter day I came across a fine Myiotheretes 
rufiventris, a pretty and graceful Tyrant-bird, rather 
larger than the Common Thrush, with a chocolate 
and silver-grey plumage. It was rare in that place, 
and, anxious to secure it, I fired a very long shot, 
for it was extremely shy. It rose up high in the air 
and flew off apparently unconcerned. What then 
was my surprise to see a Chimango start off in 
pursuit of it! Springing on to my horse I followed, 
and before going half a mile noticed the Tyrant-bird 
beginning to show signs of distress. After avoiding 
several blows aimed by the Chimango, it flew down 
and plunged into a cardoon bush. There I captured 
it, and when skinning it to preserve found that one 
