"fgio J HrssEY, Sjjring Birds of La Plata. Sol 



On one occasion I was so fortunate as to witness one of the strange per- 

 formances characteristic of this bird. I had concealed myself near an 

 open place in the marsh, hoping to see some of its rarer bird-life, when I 

 heard a loud triple call note, which was answered by other birds. In a 

 very short time about half a dozen ypecahas appeared in the open area; 

 and there, with wings raised and trembling and beaks vertical they rushed 

 about madly, screaming at the tops of their voices. This lasted for perhaps 

 a minute, when all at once one bird seemed to discover my presence and 

 gave the loud alarm cry, upon which all the birds fled. 



This was the only time that I saw the ypecaha in its own haunts ; but on 

 another occasion I saw one perched upon a fence post at the edge of the 

 marsh, and was able to approach quite close before he showed the least 

 sign of fear. This seemed quite remarkable to me, since the ypecaha, like 

 others of his family, i.s usually very wary and keeps well concealed. 



4. Sterna superciliaris Vieill. — This little tern was fairly common 

 ai)Out the port of La Plata during the winter and early spring. A larger 

 tern {S. hirundinacea?) was also seen occasionally. 



5. Larus maculipennis Licht. " Gaviota comun " (Common 

 Gull). — The spot-winged gull was seen but .seldom; usually in flocks of 

 about twenty individuals. On one day only, December 22, did I see any 

 number of gulls. On that day they began to come in sight about ten 

 o'clock in the morning, flying up-stream in small flocks of about a dozen 

 birds, the flocks following each other at intervals of about three minutes, 

 and the gulls continued to pass me for more than an hour. 



It has seemed very strange to me that there were so few gulls about the 

 beaches near La Plata, particularly since so much fishing was done and so 

 much refuse was about; and these gulls are particularly noted as scaven- 

 gers. But although caracaras were occasionally found there, the gulls were 

 seldom seen. 



6. Larus cirrhocephalus Vieill. — While in some plumages this gull 

 and the preceding resemble each other closely, during the breeding season 

 they are distinct. I saw this gull several times, always in company with 

 the other, and all my records were made during the early part of October. 



7. Larus dominicanus Licht. — ■ This large gull was seen only a few 

 times, during the winter months, and always singly or in pairs. 



8. Belonopterus cayennensis (Gm.). " Teru-teru." — ^ No one 

 can live long in the Argentine without knowing the Teru; and should he 

 go abroad into the camp the Teru will soon be aware of his presence. The 

 Terus are usually seen in pairs ; and each pair has its own little domain to 

 which they are much attached, and they can usually be found there. Toward 

 all intruders the Teru is very bitter; he flies closely about them, shrieking 

 loudly the two-.syllabled cry of which the common name is an imitation. I 

 have known them to fly so close as to brush me with their wings. 



Being such a noisy bird and so suspicious of strangers, the Teru is con- 

 sidered by many an excellent guardian and as valuable to a household as a 

 watchdog; I myself know of at least two ca.ses where these lapwings are 



