64 BIRDS OF LA PLATA 



of indignation, but the moment he retires they are 

 about it again, and, even when it contains eggs or 

 young birds, begin impudently carrying in feathers, 

 straws, and other materials for a nest, as if they 

 were already in undisputed possession. At this stage 

 the Tree-Martins (Progne tapera) perhaps appear to 

 complicate matters ; and even if these last comers 

 do not succeed in ousting the Oven-birds, they are 

 sure to seize the oven when it becomes vacant, and 

 the Sparrows, in spite of their earlier claim, are left 

 out in the cold. But they do not take their defeat 

 quietly, or, rather, they do not know when they are 

 beaten, but still remain to harass their fellow 

 pirates, just as they did the Oven-birds before, 

 bringing straws and feathers in their beaks, and 

 when forced to drop these materials and chased from 

 the neighbourhood with great noise and fury by the 

 Tree-Martins, it is only to return undaunted in a 

 few minutes, bringing more straws and feathers. 



This Sparrow makes a rather large nest, neatly 

 lined with horsehair, and lays five eggs, long, pointed, 

 the entire surface thickly matted with deep chocolate 

 brown. 



In rural districts this species is comparatively 

 rare, not more than one or two couples being seen 

 about each habitation ; and I scarcely think it would 

 be too much to say that there are four or five thousand 

 Chingolos for every individual Yellow Sparrow, 

 Yet it is a hardy little bird, well able to hold its own, 

 subsists on the same kind of food and lays as many 

 eggs as the Zonotrichia ; and it possesses, moreover, 



