1918.] Cape San Antonio, Buenos Ayres. 407 



(practically early in winter) and another on 25 July (raid- 

 winter). The usual clutch of three — according to Hudson, 

 five — eggs are pure white in colour, and the measure- 

 ments average 24x 18 mm. 



178. Furnarius rufus (Gm.). Red Oven-bird^. 



Hudson supplements my former notes by a still fuller 

 life-history of the Oven-bird, written after his usual graphic 

 and interesting manner. There remains, therefore, but little 

 for me to add at the present date. It is needless to say 

 that the great four-years' drought of 1908-11 was particu- 

 larly disastrous to this species ; the iron-bound soil was 

 nonproductive of the usual food-supply of larvae and insects, 

 and water was only to be found at the troughs of the cattle- 

 wells, in the immediate neighbourhood of which were con- 

 structed the only possible nests. It cannot be said the 

 number of individuals showed any marked" diminution, but 

 all building-operations were necessarily suspended. Sub- 

 sequently, I was struck with the prompt resumption of work 

 on the return of normal conditions. This observation is 

 applicable to every more than usually dry summer, followed 

 by the March rains. The first shower has probably not 

 ceased falling, when the birds may be seen busily employed 

 making and carrying mud-pellets ; their activities being 

 accompanied by a most vociferous chorus of satisfaction 

 and mutual congratulation. With the occurrence of the 

 equally great three-years' flood of 1913-15, the situation 

 underwent an extraordinary reversal. The flood began in 

 tiie winter-time, and by 3 October I find myself struck by 

 the wonderful number of birds and of completed nests. 

 These latter were situated everywhere — in trees in woods 

 and gardens, on gates and posts of fences, buildings, etc. 

 One on the window-sill of my dressing-room (constructed 

 before 1 went into residence) was an endless pleasure to me, 



* The Sociedad Ornitologica del Plata, founded in Buenos Ayres 

 on 28 July, 1916, has adopted the vernacular name of this species as 

 the title for its IJeview. And the cover of ' El Horuero ' is accordingly 

 adorned with a vignette of these birds and their interesting nest, 



SER. X. — VOL. M. 2 G 



