1919-] Cape San Antonio. Buenos Aijres. 521 



duration of tins settlement extended over several years, but 

 it lias been totally deserted since 1898. 



As I formerly recorded, the White Egret is irregular in 

 its appearance. The fact is empliasizcd by my notes taken 

 during the late memorable flood. From 16 September, 1913, 

 to 19 March, 1911 (spring and summer), whilst I was in 

 residence, 1 only saw a total of four individuals on the 

 Yngleses ; notwithstanding which^ I was told on good 

 authority of a nesting-colony on the neighbouring Tuyu 

 estancia, not half-a-league from our boundary-line. "Gross 

 ingratitude for my former protection and care " is the 

 remark appended to the entry in my diary. Again, on a 

 brief visit lasting from 1 September to 4 November, 1915, 

 under the same flood-condjtions, none at all were seen. 



The nesting-habits have been fully described by myself. 

 Subsequent observations state that five and four eggs are 

 common clutches. Also, that the sitting birds are not shy ; 

 and are silent except when two neighbours disagree, " when 

 they draw themselves up to their full height, erecting the 

 head and neck plumage, and clatter their mandibles at each 

 other, looking unutterable things the while." 



Average measurement of eggs 55 x 39 mm. 



317. Ardea candidissima Gm. Snowy Egret. 



My former notes and those of Hudson embody possibly 

 most of what is to be said about the Snowy Egret. 



Much of what I have just written about the preceding 

 species (^A. egretta) is applicable to A. candidissima. From 

 1886 to 1898 there is an absolute blank in my diary, what- 

 ever may have been the cause of same. At any rate, the 

 succeeding years are empiiatic in their uniformly negative 

 sense : — " None seen about the Yngleses," " None observed 

 on journey to Dolores or Buenos Ayres," etc. In the recent 

 flood-years I record its total absence in equally clear terms. 



It may be that the above phenomenon is of a passing or 

 casual nature. The graver alternative is the gradual ex- 

 termination of both species in the Argentine Republic and 

 Paraguay. I am aware that in the latter country the very 



