3i8 BIRDS OF LA PLATA 



feathers of the nape in the form of a horn* The 

 species is found throughout Eastern Argentina, from 

 its northern limits to Central Patagonia, where 

 Durnford found it common and resident* On the 

 Rio Negro I found it abundant, and it was formerly 

 just as common along the Plata river, but owing to 

 its large si^e and the great beauty of its lustrous 

 under-plumage it is very much sought after and is 

 becoming rare, 



It is impossible to make this Grebe leave the 

 water, and when discovered in a small pool it may 

 be pursued until exhausted and caught with the 

 hand ; yet it must occasionally perform long journeys 

 on the wing when passing from one isolated lake to 

 another. Probably its journeys are performed by night. 



There is little diversity in the habits of Grebes, 

 and only once have I seen one of these birds acting 

 in a manner which seemed very unusual. This Grebe 

 was swimming about and disported itself in a deep, 

 narrow pool, and showed no alarm at my presence, 

 though I sat on the margin within twenty-five yards 

 of it, I saw it dive and come up with a small fish 

 about three inches long in its beak; after sitting 

 motionless for a little while, it tossed the fish away 

 to a considerable distance with a sudden jerk of its 

 beak, and then at the instant the fish touched the 

 water it dived again. Presently it emerged with 

 the same fish, but only to fling it away and dive 

 as before ; and in this way it released and recap- 

 tured it about fifteen times, and then, tired of 

 play, dropped it and let it escape. 



