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



Hudson gives the range of P. brasilianiis to as far south 

 as the Patagoniau rivers. But though he entertains the 

 possibility oF two other species which belong to southern 

 Cliili and Patagonia (/-*. iniperialis King and P. albiveiiiris 

 LessonJ as occurring in the southern provinces of the 

 Argentine Republic (and therefore embracing that of Buenos 

 Ayres), there seems to be no absolute warranty for the 

 suggestion. 



Of the local abundance of the species here there can be 

 no doubt — vvlierevcr there is water, fresh or salt. Perhaps, 

 wheu 1 referred to the Atlantic seaboard, 1 shoukl actually 

 have drawn the line at Cape San Antonio itself, for I have 

 no record or recollection of its occurrence on the sandy sea- 

 shore. Inside the Cape it is numerous on the coastal banks 

 and mud-Hats ; and on all the Cangrejalcs with their tidal 

 lagunas. Amongst the swamps one finds it abundantly, 

 singly or in small groups, perched on a down- bent durasnillo 

 over the surface of tiie water, or mor(> securely established 

 on the post of a wire-fence. During the spring and early 

 summer of two flood-seasons (1899-1900 and 1913-15) large 

 flocks were in the habit of passing the Yngleses head-station, 

 travelling approximately from south-west to north-east and 

 returning at sundown. These may have had some roosting- 

 site, or possiblv a nesting-colon^^ It was on one of these 

 occasions, in the early morning, that one or two of the 

 birds produceil the sound alluded to by Hudson, and which 

 resembled a pig grunting excitedly. To me the experience 

 was unique, as it was to the native boys accompanying me, 

 Avho had never heard it before. 



Regarding its breeding-habits I am in complete igno- 

 rance. In referring above to a possible nesting-colony, 

 I have in my mind''s eye the broad and deep canadon of the 

 Real Viejo, where it makes a bight in tlie woods of that 

 name — a situation formidable to a horseman in normal 

 seasons, but quite impossible in flooded years, and when, 

 more by token, peones and shepherds are too fully occupied 

 otherwise than to attempt adventurous expeditions into such 

 a fastness in search of bird-colonies. 



