2o8 BIRDS OF LA PLATA 



but I have never taken more than three eggs from 

 one nest, I mention this because I have seen it stated 

 that four or five eggs are sometimes found. 



I trust that no reader of this sketch imagines that 

 I robbed all the eggs contained in so many nests* I 

 did nothing so barbarous, although it is perhaps 

 " prattling out of fashion " to say so ; but with the 

 destructive, useless egg-collecting passion I have 

 no sympathy. By bending the pliant rushes down- 

 wards the eggs can be made to roll out into the hand ; 

 and all those which I thus took out to count were 

 put back in their wonderful cradles. I had a special 

 object in examining so many nests. A gaucho boy 

 once brought me a nest which had a small circular 

 stopper, made of the same texture as the body of the 

 nest, attached to the aperture at the side and when 

 swung round into it fitting it as perfectly as the lid 

 of the trap-door spider fits the burrow. I have no 

 doubt that it was used to close the nest when the 

 bird was away, perhaps to prevent the intrusion of 

 reed-frogs or of other small birds ; but I have never 

 found another nest like it, nor have I heard of one 

 being found by any one else ; and that one nest, 

 with its perfectly-fitting stopper, has been a 

 to my mind ever since I saw it* 



