on the Birds of Chili. 309 



manner, appearing to skim something off the surface -with 

 their long slender bills ; this seemed to be their only 

 method of feeding, if such it was. At the same time their 

 peculiar cry may be frequently heard. This cry is like that 

 of a three-quarter-grown duckling, and might be expressed 

 by the syllable weng pronounced with a shrill nasal accent, 

 and is something like the note of the Ibis, 



When disturbed they utter this note successively and 

 sometimes rapidly, taking wing if a person approaches. 

 The flight is steady and performed with rapid strokes of 

 the wings, their long legs being kept straight back, so that 

 the feet protrude beyond the tail. 



The Bolivians call this bird the " Quaiti." The first 

 specimen I fired at, at Huasco, continued its flight in an 

 undisturbed manner, alighting about 300 or 400 yards away; 

 when I got up to it I found it was quite dead, though I had 

 not noticed it to waver. 



108. Gallinago PARAGUAiiE (Vicill.). 



GaUinago pararjuai(B, Sharpe, B. M. C. xxiv. p. 650; Scl. 

 P. Z. S. 1891, p. 137. 



(Sacaya and Rio Bueno.) 



This Snipe is fairly numerous in Chili, increasing in 

 numbers as one goes south. 



The average measurement of the males I shot was : — 

 Length 11-25 inches; bill 2*75; tail 2"5, containing two 

 middle rectrices and six lateral each side ; wing 5'125 ; tarsus 

 1*25 inch; middle and hind toes 1'25 and '25 (including 

 claws), the latter elevated about -375 inch. Iris dark brown ; 

 legs and feet a yellowish sage-green; claws blackish. 



This Snipe was fairly numerous about Concepcion and 

 thence to Arauco on the flat swamps by the sea from June 

 to end of July; but by the middle of August it would have 

 been hard to find one there. The birds were very numerous 

 about the Rio Bueno and Rio Pilmaiguen, where they must 

 breed. They are called ^' Avecasino '' in Arauco, but about 

 Rio Bueno they are best known by an Indian name '' Quai- 

 quaillen/^ (pronounced ki-ki-Fyen). They feed rather on 

 open mudbanks or such-like places than in grass or sedge. 



