191 8.] Cape San Antonio, Buenos Ay res. 889 



occupants were a couple ol:' House-Sparrows, and they 

 seemed to be quite at tlieir ease, thougli the " ciguena " 

 was being swung up and down by hand, for a co'.iple of 

 hours and twice a day, in order to fill the sheep-troughs. 



I have taken I'ggs from the end of October to the begin- 

 ning of February, November and December being the usual 

 months. The clutches are three or four ; one reached 

 six. In ground-colour they are whitish brown, thickly 

 marked with dark brown or brown and dark ash-grey. 

 Measurements: 20x15 mm. 



91. Sycalis luteola (Sparrm.). j\listo Seed-Finch. 



All the year round this species is to be found in flocks of 

 from fifty to several hundreds, generally in the open plains 

 or the paddocks, very frequently in dry swamps, and occa- 

 sionally in a large opening amidst the woods. Some of these 

 flocks arc peculiarly local, and one may go with perfect 

 confidence to a certain point day after day (or following 

 a year's absence) and not be disappointed. But so well 

 does the plumage harmonise with the surroundings, and so 

 tame is the species, that its presence is gencrallv not 

 detected until the flock rises at one's very feet. 



I cannot say that nests are numerous, though some years 

 they are more so than others. And the season is late, from 

 the middle of November to early in January, the majoiitv 

 occurring in December. The nest is well-hidden in a tuft 

 of grass, but very frequently in a stunted clump of rushes at 

 the edge of a dry swamp; genei-ally in that case (though 

 not invarialdy) it is raised a little above the ground. In 

 structure it is cup-shaped, about 3^ inches in diameter bv 

 2^ inches deep, outside measurement; sometimes well-built, 

 at other times loosely. The outside consists of dry grass and 

 roots, followed by a little moss, and it is lined entirely with 

 horsehair ; or, built of strips of dry rushes, and lined with a 

 little wool, fine grass-stems, roots, and a feather or two. 

 The full clutch of e gs is five, the more general number four. 

 They are round lather than pointed as described by Hudson 

 fragile, and daintily tinted. Ground-colour white or 



