270 Letters from Mr. J. Graham Kerr. 



at present all these are dried up, and pools of fresh water are 

 very few and far between. This has of course a very marked 

 effect upon flora and fauna, and aquatic species are few in 

 number. 



As regards the avifauna, this appears perhaps more 

 strikingly than in any other department^ especially when one 

 has the laguna-studded Pampas fresh in one's memory. The 

 Anatidse, so varied and abundant at Mate Grande, are here 

 few as regards individuals, still fewer as regards species, for 

 practically the only species I have met with here is the " Pato 

 real^' {Cairina moschata), one or two of which may occasion- 

 ally be seen roosting on a tree by the river's margin, or feeding 

 by the edge of a little pool of water. Less entirely aquatic 

 in its habits, the Chaja [Chauna chavaria) is not infrequent. 

 Of Ibises, Theristicus caudatus, with its terrestrial habits, is 

 the only one to be seen at present, although, before the 

 marshes were so completely dried up, Harpiprion ceerulescens 

 and Ajaja rosea were pretty common, while Plegadis guarauna 

 has been seen passing overhead in the evenings. Of Storks 

 the Jabiru is the most frequent, but it too has quite dis- 

 appeared during the last two months. Herons also, earlier 

 in the year so very abundant, are now scarcely seen at all. 

 The ordinary Cormorant {Phalacrocorax hrasilianus) is the 

 only one of the strictly natatorial birds which is at all abun- 

 dant at present, and this is no doubt due to its not having 

 the same dislike to salt water that many of its congeners 

 have, for it is constantly to be seen swimming about in the 

 intensely salt water of the river. Of Rails the only one 

 abundant is the Ypecaha, which is frequent both along the 

 river margins and by freshwater pools. I have also lately 

 got another Rail, unknown to me, with beautiful deep blue 

 plumage. I have just seen a single pair of them so far. 

 Water-hens and Coots, teeming in every pool in the Pampas, 

 are entirely absent so far. Aramus scolopaceus is not common. 

 The Cariama is frequently heard out in the open, but I have 

 not seen any adult specimen so far. Parra jacana was 

 common up till November. Vanellus cayennensis, ^gialitis 

 collaris, and Himantopus brasilianus are all occasional; 

 while several Sandpipers and the two Yellowshanks are pretty 



