138 BIRDS OF LA PLATA 
for the eggs, which are cs&m-coloured and have a 
smooth glossy shell. The number varies from three 
to five, and on one occasion six were found. Mr. 
Gibson has seen the parent bird swimming from the 
nest with the young on her back. 
COSCOROBA SWAN 
Coscoroba candida 
White; tips of primaries black; bill coral red, feet red; length 
40, wing 17.5 inches. 
Tuis Swan is considerably smaller than the black- 
necked species, and also inferior in beauty on account 
of its shorter neck. It is, nevertheless, a very hand- 
some bird, being entirely of a pure white colour 
except the tips of the primaries, which are black. 
The beak and legs are bright rosy red. In its habits, 
language, and flight it also differs much from Cygnus 
nigricollis, and the country people call it Ganso 
(Goose), probably on account of its Goose-like habit 
of sometimes feeding away from the water, or 
because its flesh has the flavour of Wild Goose. 
Oddly enough, the scientific ornithologists are just 
beginning to find out that the common people were 
right in describing it as a Goose; at all events they 
are finding out that it has more Goose than Swan in 
its composition. As a rule they go in small parties 
of five or six individuals, but sometimes flocks num- 
