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



on this occasion, and a fortniuht later, on a subsequent visit, 

 most of the nests had hatclicd out. Though tlie full clutch 

 of eggs is three, I never saw nipre than one or two young ni 

 a nest. These, on being approached, abandoned the nest 

 and scrambled away amongst the reeds. 



The eggs are of a blunt-oval form, the shell without gloss. 

 In colour, a uniform light blue. Measurements vary from 

 50x35 to 53x39 mm. 



In connection with some of the foregoing species — all 

 waterfowl typical of our great marsh system and l)irds after 

 my own heart — I would like to mention the free-air collection 

 I formed at the Yngleses head-station in 1885. They were 

 all brought in as nestlings and fed by the peones' cook in 

 the open patio, nor were ihey allowed to be molested by 

 men, dogs, or cats. Tlie feathered assortment consisted 

 of the Roseate Spoonbill {^Ajaja rosea Rcichenb.), White 

 Egret {Ardea egretta Gm.), and White-faced Ibis {Plegadis 

 guarauna Linn.) — perha[)s half a score of each. There were 

 also one or two Cocoi Herons (Ardea cocoi Linn.), and as 

 many Dark Night-Herons [Nycticorax obscurus Bp.). Three 

 " Chajas ^' or Crested Screamers {Chauna chavaria Liiin.) 

 lent weigiit and dignity to the assembly, and the dominant 

 position once held by a former Maguari Stork, known to 

 fame as " Byles the Lawyer," was promptly assumed by a 

 Dominican Gull [Larus dondnicanus Licht.), which neither 

 feared man nor respected any other living being. With the 

 exception of the last-named (a pinioned bird), all these Hew 

 about the patio at tlieir own sweet will as they attained 

 maturity, perched on the garden-railings after they had been 

 fed, and roosted at night in the adjacent Paradise trees. 

 Later on they began to make excursions to the neighbouring 

 canadas, returning at nightfall ; in course of the ensuing- 

 winter they commenced to take " nights out,^' and when 

 spring came tbey went away for good. To visitors, the 

 feature of the exhibition was less the number and variety 

 of all these beautiful birds than their extraordinarv tameness 



