368 Mr. E. Gibson on the Ornithology of [Ibis, 



of mauve-coloured flowers and later on clusters of dark 

 purple berries^ — all of which grow to a heioht of from five 

 to seven feet above the surface of the water. There are 

 many other aquatic plants, but I will only mention the 

 prevalent duckweed or "Camalote^^ {Ceratophyllum sp., 

 not C. australis Griseb., the only hitherto-described South 

 American species), which lies in beds on the surface of tlie 

 water, particularly in the open spaces, and when in full 

 growth at certain seasons of the year forms a very awkward 

 entanglement to the traA'cller. I remember the horse of our 

 head cattle- man being drowned one night, the rider narrowly 

 escaping with his life by clinging on to the tail of another, 

 the rider of which had gallantly turned to his rescue (for 

 the whole party of half-a-dozen was in serious difficulties at 

 the time). Notwithstanding the almost stagnant nature of 

 these swamps and the abundance of decaying vegetation 

 contained in them, they are perfectly healthy and give off 

 no injurious malaria. Doubtless this is to be accounted for 

 by the level country being so frequently and thoroughly 

 swept by the winds, from the Andes to the ocean ; and by a 

 considerable amount of nitre and salt inherent to the soil 

 and vegetation — a good example of the latter being an 

 abundantly-distributed Salicornia [Salicornia sp.), called 

 here " Jiime." 



We are fortunate in having many natural woods (the ex- 

 ception to the " Treeless Pampas "), part of that strip which 

 extends from Buenos Ayres to Cape San Antonio, and from 

 there along the sea-coast (a little inland) until it culminates 

 on a large scale in the Montes Grandes, some forty miles 

 south. Those of the Yngleses head-station, though not 

 large, are singularly picturesque, being situated on and 

 about a group of dunes of a height varying up to twenty 

 or thirty feet. The "Tala'' {Tala celtis) predominates; 

 but the evergreen " Coronillo " (Scutia buxifoUa Reiss.) is 

 abundant; and the " Quebrachillo " or " Sombra de Toro" 

 [lodina rhombifolia Hook.) is not uncommon. There is a 

 large distribution of the " Sauco " or Elder {Sambucus aus- 

 tralis Cliam. et Schlecht.), The undergrowth or brushwood 



