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



plains lias deprived both species of birds (one of ground 

 and the other of aerial habits) of any possible nesting-sites. 

 It is only necessary to refer to my former paper to realize 

 how greatly the Miner is missed in the campo. where every 

 larger Biscacho-coiony, of the many thousands, had its pair 

 of these birds (as well as the Burrowing Owls), and their 

 familiar and lively presence constituted a source of interest 

 and pleasure to the wayfarer. 



In consequence, for many years past I have been in the 

 habit of chronicling the presence of two or three pairs at 

 certain favoured localities on sandy roadways, where the 

 action of wheeled- traffic and the winds combined had left 

 little cliffs two or three feet high, and the surrounding 

 terrain was bare or close-cropped ; for it must be noted that 

 the Miner passes all its time on the gronnd and does not 

 affect concealment. l^]ven those now alluded to were not in 

 evidence during a brief visit I paid to the Ynglcses in the 

 spring of 1915, nor in the previous summer of 1914. 

 Further, in the last-named year I ob-erved none on the 

 long sandy coa^t-route to the Montes Grandes in the south, 

 nor on the equally long journey to Dolores in the west. 

 On the other hand, a few pairs would seem to have found a 

 refuge on some of the large canals constructed of late years 

 for the drainage of this part of the Province. As the banks 

 are, however, generally shelving, there are few sites which 

 afford the necessary security tor nesting-burrows. Mr. Hudson 

 has fallen into wJiat is probably a clerical error, when he 

 indicates "the side of the deep pit-like entrance to one of 

 those burrows (/. e. of the Biscacho) for the bird to bore its 

 cvlindrical hole." It is invariably the front or brow which 

 is selected, a position admirably adapted to provide security 

 aoainst intruders or molestation from fu'tJier excavating 

 action on part of the Biscacho. My excuse for the extension 

 of these remarks must be the possible total disappearance of 

 the once Common Miner from this district. 



The nesting-notes have been detailed at length by Hudson 

 and mvself. 1 may add that, in former years, 1 have seen 

 a freshly-excavated burrow in a sand-bank on 1 June 



