2128 FLAMINGOES, DUCKS, AND SCREAMERS 



gray, and the foot ashy gray. The second genus, Chauna, has no horn on the head, 

 and is represented by the crested screamer, or chaja (C. chavaria}, of Argentina, and 

 the Derbian screamer (C. derbiana) of Colombia. In the former the general color 

 of the plumage is slaty blue, with a black ring round the neck, while the naked 

 skin round the eyes and the legs are red. According to Mr. W. H. Hudson, to 

 whom we are indebted for a good account of the Argentine species, these birds only 

 utter their powerful scream of alarm occasionally; while during the night, or when 

 soaring high in the air, they give vent to somewhat melodious notes, audible when 

 the birds are too high up to be visible. " At certain times," writes the author just 

 mentioned, "in districts favorable to them, the chajas often assemble in immense 

 flocks, thousands of individuals being sometimes seen congregated, and in these 

 gatherings the birds often all sing in concert. They invariably though with- 

 out rising sing at intervals throughout the night, 'counting the hours,' as the 

 Gauchos say, the first song being about nine o'clock, the second at midnight, and 

 the third just before dawn, but the hours vary in different districts." Although 

 living for a considerable part of the year in large flocks, the screamers pair for life, 

 and during the breeding season are only to be seen in couples. The chaja (pro- 

 nounced chaha), or Argentine species, breeds among the rushes of lagoons, and 

 during a visit to Argentina in 1893, I had, while staying at the estancia of Las Ban- 

 durrias, near Colina, on the Great Southern Railway of Buenos Ayres, the oppor- 

 tunity of observing the habits of a pair Which were nesting in a small laguna a couple 

 of miles or so from the house. The lagtina in question contained large growths of 

 reeds and flags, forming masses intersected by open channels, and at the time of my 

 visit (the latter part of October) growing to a considerable height above the water. 

 Like other similar spots in this part of Argentina, it was tenanted by large flocks of 

 ducks and coots, while black-necked swans, small parties of the lovely red South- 

 American flamingoes, and a few storks were generally also to be seen. On my first 

 visit to the laguna, for the purpose of duck shooting, I was puzzled by seeing a pair 

 of large gray birds, with short beaks, and looking somewhat like huge gray geese, 

 swimming about unconcernedly among the other denizens of the lagoon, since I had 

 not the least idea such was the habit of the chaja. On wading into the water, and 

 approaching the birds, I was, however, soon convinced, both from their appearance 

 and voice, that they were really chajas. They allowed me to approach within easy 

 gunshot, when they rose heavily and flapped slowly to the bank, where they 

 alighted. That they had a nest among the reeds in the middle of the laguna I felt 

 assured, but the depth of water prevented my wading to the spot. I had, however, 

 reason to believe that the young were already hatched and swimming about among 

 the reeds, so that, had I succeeded in reaching the nest, my labor would have been in 

 vain. As soon as I reached the shore, the chajas once more returned to the water, 

 and recommenced swimming about among the ducks. During several subsequent 

 visits to the same spot, I nearly always saw the birds swimming far out in the water; 

 and, indeed, I think it was only once or twice that I observed them on land. It is 

 therefore evident that during the nesting season this pair of chajas should be de- 

 scribed as thoroughly aquatic in their habits. 



