BRAZILIAN CORMORANT gi 
probably likewise occur in the southern provinces 
of the Republic. 
Azara tells us that this Cormorant is not un- 
common in Paraguay, and Mr. Barrows found it an 
“abundant resident” at Concepcion in Entrerios. 
In the vicinity of Buenos Ayres several well-known 
authorities have met with it, and Durnford found 
it common and resident in Chupat. 
The name of Brazilian Cormorant, which natur- 
alists have bestowed on this species, is certainly 
inappropriate and misleading, since the bird is very 
abundant in La Plata, where the native name for it 
is Vigua; and it is also very common in the Pata- 
gonian rivers. It is always seen swimming, sinking 
its heavy body lower and lower down in the water 
when approached, until only the slanting snake-like 
head and neck are visible ; or else sitting on the bank, 
or on a dead projecting branch, erect and with raised 
beak, and never moving from its statuesque attitude 
until forced to fly. It rises reluctantly and with great 
labour, and has a straight rapid flight, the wings 
beating incessantly. By day it is a silent bird, but 
when many individuals congregate to roost on the 
branches of a dead tree overhanging the river, they 
keep up a concert of deep, harsh, powerful notes 
all night long, which would cause any person not 
acquainted with their language to imagine that 
numerous pigs or peccaries were moving about with 
incessant gruntings in his neighbourhood. 
1 Namely, P. imperialis and P. albiventris. See Zool. Chall. (Birds), 
p- 121. It was probably one of these two species that Durnford found 
nesting on Tombo Point, south of Chupat (cf. Ibis, 1878, p. 399). 
