Estancia Espartilia, Argentine Republic. 213 



to February, but rarer in the winter. Frequents arroyos, 

 open lagoons, and open land, doubtless in the latter cases 

 l)icking up grubs. Breeds early in November in the deep 

 lagoons thickly overgrown with succulent water-grasses, in 

 company with Larus maculipennis. The nest, composed 

 of wet water-grasses with no lining, is placed on the water, 

 supported by the vegetation underneath — a very slovenly 

 structure. Eggs three or four in number (Ifxlj), of an 

 olive colour, spotted and blotched with pale brown and grey; 

 also pale olive-grey, spotted with black and pale purplish 

 grey. (See my notes, Ibis, 1890, p. 428; also Saunders, 

 P. Z. S. 1891, p. 373.) The native name of this Tern is 

 '^ Gaviotine.'^ 



118. Lakus dojminicanus, Licht. 



Very common from January to August. Its native name 

 is " Gaviota (jrande.^' 



119. Lakus maculipknnis, Licht. 



Very common all the year through, breeding early in 

 November, in gulleries of several hundreds. Its native 

 name is "Gaviota.^' 



120. Larus ciRHiiociirnALUs, Vieill. 



Very common from July to February in large flocks. It 

 breeds with us, I think, though so far I have been unable to 

 discover its nesting-place. When these Gulls arrive they 

 are all in adult plumage, but towards the end of November 

 and early in December numberless immature individuals 

 appear along with them. Every day from July to February 

 they come to the Estancia to feed on the offal from the 

 slaughtered animals. They frequent a large reedy lagoon 

 some eight miles away, but I have never had the time to 

 search it during the breeding-season. (C/. Ibis, 1890, 

 p. 428.) 



121. yEcHMOPiioKUS major (Bodd.). 



Fairly common in pairs or singly throughout the wet years. 

 Breeds late in October. Eggs three in number. 



