384 HussEY, Spring Birds of La Plata. [q^} 



NOTES ON SOME SPRING BIRDS OF LA PLATA. 



BY ROLAND F. HUSSEY. '^ 



For about six months beginning July 22, 1914, the writer had 

 his residence in the Observatorio Astronomico at La Plata, Argen- 

 tina, about thirty miles southeast of Buenos Aires city. During 

 the first few weeks of this period field work was made very difficult 

 by adverse weather conditions: the year 1914 was abnormally 

 rainy throughout Argentina, and the level country about La Plata 

 was nearly impassable through the early spring months. But 

 toward the middle of September conditions improved greatly, and 

 field work soon became comparatively easy. 



Observations were made in three general regions about the city 

 of La Plata. The first includes the Bosque park and the observa- 

 tory grounds — both within the city limits — and a little of the 

 surrounding region. The Bosque is a large artificial woodland set 

 about an artificial lake. The trees here are chiefly the eucalyptus ; 

 also there are some willows, poplars, sycamores, etc. Within the 

 Bosque is a zoological garden, to ' which many small birds are % 

 attracted by the abundance of food. Also, the famous La Plata ■ 

 Museum is located in the Bosque. 



The observatory grounds are much more open, and several 

 species of ground birds frequent them, notably the Cowbird, the 

 Ovenbird (Furriarius), the Chingolo Sparrow, the Ovejera {Mache- 

 tornis), the Guira Cuckoo, and others. There are in all about 

 eighteen buildings on these grounds, several of which have steeply 

 sloping roofs with wide eaves; and here the common swallow 

 breeds quite frequently. The observatory grounds are shut in 

 on three sides by the eucalyptus forest of the Bosque ; to the north 

 they are open and a clear view is obtained across the level fields 

 to the river Plate, about five miles distant. 



The second of the three general regions mentioned above proved 

 the least profitable. It includes a small pond of open water and 

 an arroyo grown up with rushes, and is surrounded by very wet 

 meadows. It is just off the railroad track about four miles south 

 of the city. 



