1 91 9'] Cape San Auionio, Buenos Ayres, 531 



when the kill is fresh, small particles of animal matter do 

 not come amiss. 



At one time I used to see it in conjuuction with the 

 Little or Snowy Egret (Ardea candidisshna) when that 

 species was still common with us. And it is often associated 

 with the two Gulls (Larus cirrhocephalus and L. maculipen- 

 nis), as witnesseth the following entry : " In extraordiuary 

 numbers — packed like sardiues — whilst feeding on fish-fry 

 in shoal water in company with Gulls. I put up one such 

 flock which absolutely filled the sky with black wings." 



It is only on taking to flight that the loud laughter-like 

 "ha-ha-ha" is uttered. The flocks on wing are mute. 

 A wounded hird when handled gives vent to a feeble 

 squawk. 



Hudson is silent as to its breeding-habits, and I myself 

 was ignorant of these at the time 1 formerly wrote in 1880. 

 On 30 November of 1885, however, it was my good fortune 

 to find a large colony nesting in community with even a 

 greater number of the Roseate Spoonbill (Ajaja rosea) in the 

 heart of the immense Cisneros canadon, which lies between 

 the Tuyu and Yngleses estancias. The bottom of the swamp 

 being fairly firm and even, and my horse proving too nervous 

 for the task of facing the movement and noise of the birds, 

 I withdrew to terra firma, staked out the steed, stripped to 

 my shirt, and returned to the scene. With the water beyond 

 my waist in most places, it, was not altogether easy to pencil 

 notes and bestow eggs in the fishing-creel slung round my 

 neck ; but otherwise I had full freedom of action, and the 

 day was fine, the water warm (and free from leeches), and 

 there were no stinging flies or mosquitoes about. Under 

 these circumstances, the interest of the subject was enhanced 

 by the beauty of the birds — the rose-pink and intense- 

 carmined Spoonbills and the metallicly-iridescent Ibises, 

 1 enjoyed myself immensely. 



The nests of the Ibis were small light platforms con- 

 structed of dry junco, sometimes built up from the surface 

 of the water, in other cases suspended a foot and a half or 

 two feet from the surface. There Avere already some young 



