Ornithologists' Club. 257 



Mr. ScLATER read some extracts from a letter received 

 from Mr. Graham Kerr, dated Villa Concepcion, Paraguay, 

 Oct. 17th, 1896 {cf. Bull. B. O. C. no. xxxviii. p. viii ; suprh, 

 p. 115). Mr. Kerr had arrived there from Asuncion about 

 three weeks before, and was then about to leave for a Mis- 

 sionary station in the Gran Chaco, where Lepidosirens (the 

 primary object of the expedition) were said to be abundant. 

 A small steamer would convey him and his companion 

 (Mr. Budgett) 12 leagues up the Paraguay to Caraya Vuelta, 

 whence they would strike across the Chaco (some six days' 

 journey) westward to their destination. Of birds, Mr. Kerr 

 had observed in the neighbourhood of Concepcion (all quite 

 common) Geothlypis velata, Tachycineta leucorrhoa, Tanagra 

 sayaca, Paroaria capitata, Corijphospingus cristatus, Ambly- 

 cercus solitarius, Cassicus albirostris, Aphobus chopi, Cyano- 

 corax chrysops, and C. caruleus among the Oscines. Of the 

 Tracheophonae the most ordinary forms were TcEnioptera 

 nengeta, T. irupero, Fluvicola albiventris, Pitangus bolivianus, 

 Pyrocephalus rubineus, Myiarchus ferox, Milvulus tyrannus, 

 Furnarius rufus, PhaceUodomus striaticollis, Xiphocolaptes 

 major, Picolaptes angustirostris, and Thamnophilus radiatus. 

 The commonest Picarians were Colaptes agricola, three species 

 of Ceryle, Crotophaga ant, C. major, Diplopterus neevius, and 

 Rhamphastos toco. The ordinary Parrots were Chrysotis 

 astiva and Bolhorhynchus monachus. Polyborus tharus and 

 Cathartes atratus were plentiful, and also five species of 

 Herons. Amongst the Water-birds Mr. Kerr had noted 

 Phimosus infuscatus, Aj'aja rosea, Chauna cristata, and four 

 species of Ducks, besides some well-known Rails, Plovers, 

 and other Waders. A diving-bird, apparently Plot us unhinga, 

 was very common all along the river. The heavy rains during 

 the stay of the party at Concepcion had filled up all the 

 swamps on the Chaco, which had previously experienced a 

 prolonged drought of several months. 



Mr. ScLATER exhibited a skin of a chick in down, a few 

 days old, of the Crested Screamer, Chauna cristata, which 

 had been presented to him by Mr. A. Holland, of the Estancia 



