123 BIRDS OF LA PLATA 



on the water, and if there is only one suitable tree 

 all the birds crowd on to it, and in the morning 

 scatter, each family or pair flying away to spend the 

 day in its customary feeding-ground* 



The egg obtained by Dr. Cunningham at Elizabeth 

 Island is thus described by Prof. Newton (Ibis, 1870, 

 p. 502) : " Dull surface of a pale greenish white 

 with engrained blotches (mostly small) of neutral 

 tint, and some few blotches, spots, and specks of 

 dull deep brown ; towards the larger end some hair- 

 like streaks of a lighter shade of the same, and so 

 far having an Ibidine or Plataleine character/' 



BLUE IBIS 



Harpiprion caerulescens 



White forehead joined to white bar above and behind the eye ; top 

 of head and crest dark brown, with greenish tinge ; throat and neck 

 covered with long narrow feathers, light brown with pinkish tinge in 

 certain lights ; upper parts bluish bronzy green ; wings like the back, 

 in some lights the feathers have a silvery gloss ; primaries dark blue ; 

 tail dark green ; under parts brownish grey, with pink reflections in 

 some lights ; length 33, wing 15.5 inches. 



THIS noble Ibis ranges from Brazil, south of the 

 Amazons, to the pampas of Buenos Ayres. It is a 

 bird of the marshes, nowhere abundant, and yet is 

 exceedingly well known to most people in the Argen- 

 tine country : it would be difficult indeed to overlook 

 a species possessing so peculiar and powerful a 

 voice. In the vernacular it is called Vanduria, with 



