1919-] Cape San Antonio, Buenos Ayres. 523 



years only make mention of one bird seen. Claude Grant did 

 not obtain the species himself at Ajo in 1909, but quotes 

 Miss Runnacles as having observed " quite a number," in 

 spite of the di'ought, during the summer of that year, of 

 which three specimens were obtained, as also the eggs for 

 the first time. In the summer of 1913-14, during great 

 flood, I noted half-a-dozen, in pairs or singly, and took two 

 nests. 



It would seem to be a summer visitor in our district ; rare, 

 and irregular in its appearnnce, even in seasons of flood. It 

 is not at all shy ; witness the following : " Shortly before sun- 

 down one passed through a glade in the garden at Yngleses 

 head-station ; coming out of the woods and flying over the 

 players on the tennis-court, ;it a height of perhaps twenty 

 feet; and so out across the estancia patio towards the open 

 country.^' When disturbed, it rises with the neck curiously 

 elongated^ but almost'immediately draws it in, then at- first 

 " wafts ^^ slowly along till the rushes force it to rise, when 

 the speed becomes greatly accelerated. From its rarity, and 

 peculiarities of flight, one is generally too startled at first to 

 readily recognize what family the bird belongs to. The 

 harsh "churr"-ing cry is not general, even on these occa- 

 sions. 



Small fish or fry constitute its food, and one which I 

 skinned was singularly fat — an unusual trait in a Heron. 



Of two nests whieh I took on the 20th and 21st of 

 November, 1913, one contained three eggs and the other 

 only one. They were situated about a hundred yards apart, 

 amongst the junco in a very deep part of the swamp, and 

 absolutely identical in form and materials. Each consisted of 

 a small platform of dry junco stems suspended some twenty 

 inches above the surface of the water, in such a fashion that 

 one could see all below it. They were very slight, and com- 

 paratively shallow — perhaps fourteen inches across, outside; 

 and six inches across the hollow for the eggs. The birds 

 rose short and silently on both occasions. 



Eggs pale blue in colour, with an average measurement of 

 39x29 mui. 



SER. XI. VOL. I. 2 O 



