84 TRANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE [Sess. lV. 



brown. Such are a few of the birds which people the bushes all 

 around us. We pass on through the long grass, and passing over 

 the brow of a little eminence we suddenly come into full view of 

 one of the mammalian inhabitants, a big stag about the size of our 

 red deer, and of similar colour, walking slowly along, pausing every 

 few moments to listen anxiously for any sound indicative of the 

 presence of enemies. This is the large marsh-deer {Gervus palu- 

 dosus, Desm.) called 'cierbo' by the Argentines, 'guazu pucii' by the 

 Guaranis, and ' chigeranyeg^h' by the Toba Indians. They are large 

 and powerful animals, and are not so shy and watchful as their 

 smaller congeners, and are to be found chiefly in this 'littoral' zone 

 of vegetation, where they graze amongst the tall and rich grasses, 

 and make their lairs " amongst the tangled thickets. If one is 

 fortunate, one may also get a glimpse of one the big carnivores, 

 e.g., of the great red wolf (Ganis juhaiua), the ' agnara gnazu,' or 

 ' kaltik ' of the Tobas ; while on our way along the river-bed it is 

 more than likely tliat we see in the soft mud the fresh trail of the 

 jaguar, although the animal himself is rarely to be seen. Now 

 leaving the river, we strike out into the palmar, the open savaimah- 

 like expanse of the palm-forest. Here our attention is at once 

 attracted by a fresh series of bird-species. Flying over our head, 

 with harsh screams, pass flocks of small parrakeets {Bolhorhynchus 

 iitonacliuti, Bodd., Conuras acuticaudatui<, Vieill., and two un- 

 known species) ; from a hollow palm-stem close by suddenly emerge 

 two large yellow-fronted parrots (Clirysotis aediva, Linn.), with 

 loud and indignant cries of ' caa, caa,' exi)ressing in the most 

 amusing fashion anger and remonstrance ; and we may also see a 

 small flock of Maximilian's ])arrot flying rapidly along. We see in 

 the distance the dark outline of the monte, and towards this 

 wc direct our steps. As we pass along we notice the large trail 

 of the nandii on the ground ; in the distance a flock of black- 

 faced ibises are feeding, heralding our approach with loud and 

 metallic cry ; while amongst the grass one will see suddenly dart 

 off to one side a little cavy or noisy lizard. The camp is dotted all 

 around with low termite-hills, and occasionally stretchingbetween two 

 adjoining palms one will notice with admiration the wonderful system 

 of cables and guys which marks the site of one of the little cities 

 of the black and scarlet social spider, whose inhabitants are just 

 now retiring to rest after their night's work. Far away up against 

 the blue sky^ reduced to mere specks, one sees vultures, and eagles, 

 and buzzards ; below, one hears the long drawn and plaintive whistle 

 of the great tinamu (Ithynrholus rufescans, Temm.). As one 

 approaches the monte a toucan {lihantphasios toco, Gm.) flies out 

 of one of the trees, carrying its great yellow and crimson beak 

 stretched out straight in front of it ; while from another tree one 

 hears a series of shrill screams, at first subdued, and then becoming 

 louder and higher pitched, which tells us that our approach is 

 watched with alarm by the 'charata' (Orta/is canicoUis, WagL), a 



