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



during the period of incubation and until the young ones 

 were reared and left. Since 1879, when I recorded two 

 nests built on the ground, I have met with only one similar 

 instance ; and this, again, was situated within a hundred 

 yards of a Tala wood. 



Mr. Hudson places the clutch at five, but I have never 

 found the number to exceed four. The pure white pear- 

 shaped eggs average 28 x 22 mm._, with great variation. 



180. Upucerthia dumetoria (GeofFr. et d'Orb.). Patago- 

 nian Earth-creeper. 



I have but one recorded occurrence o£ this Patagonian 

 species — a male bird shot in the woods of the Yngleses 

 head-station, in July 1899. 



183. Cinclodes fuscus (Vieill.). Brown Cinclodes. 



Of uninteresting habits and appearance, and uncommuni- 

 cative manners, the Brown Cinclodes is a winter migrant 

 from the south, arriving in this district about SO March 

 and taking its departure towards the end of October. By 

 the end of April it is abundant, generally singly, but some- 

 times in pairs, and I have seen one lot of four or five ; 

 otherwise it is strictly non-gregarious during its stay with 

 us. A *' restless, silent, unsociable bird ^' is the consensus 

 of my notes ; frequenting the ground where the grass is 

 short, also sheep " rodeos " (muster-grounds) and muddy 

 roadways, and often found in the woods. It perches occa- 

 sionally on a low tree, a post, or a " durasnillo." It is not at 

 all shy, and I have approached, or been approached by it, 

 within a distance of two or three yards. In gait — the short 

 run and flirting of the wings — tlicre is a certain resemblance 

 to the Wheatear {(Enanthe cenanthe), though without that 

 bird's attractive sprightliness. The little used voice is at 

 best a mere chirp or twitter. 



188. Phlceocryptes melanops ( Vieill. j. Rush-loving Spine- 

 tail. 



Perhaps there is no species of bird so reminiscent of our 

 swamps to one acquainted with them as this species. To the 



