146 RIO PARANA 



The beak is flattened lateral!}', that is, in a plane at right angles 

 to that of a spoonbill or duck. It is as flat and elastic as an 

 ivory paper-cutter, and the lower mandible, differently from 

 every other bird, is an inch and a half longer than the upper. 

 In a lake near Maldonado, from uhich the water had been 

 nearly drained, and which, in consequence, swarmed with small 

 fry, I saw several of these birds, generally in small flocks, flying 

 rapidly backwards and forwards close to the surface of the lake. 

 They kept their bills wide open, and the lower mandible half 

 buried in the water. Thus skimming the surface, they ploughed 

 it in their course : the water was quite smooth, and it formed 

 a most curious spectacle to behold a flock, each bird leaving its 

 narrow wake on the mirror-like surface. In their flight they 

 frequently twist about with extreme quickness, and dexterously 

 manage with their projecting lower mandible to plough up 

 small fish, which are secured by the upper and shorter half of 

 their scissor-like bills. This fact I repeatedly saw, as, like 

 swallows, they continued to fly backwards and forwards close 

 before me. Occasionally when leaving the surface of the water 

 their flight was wild, irregular, and rapid ; they then uttered 

 loud harsh cries. When these birds are fishing, the advantage 

 of the long primary feathers of their wings, in keeping them 

 dry, is very evident. When thus employed, their forms resemble 

 the .symbol by which many artists represent marine birds. 

 Their tails are much used in steering their irregular course. 



These birds are common far inland along the course of the 

 Rio Parana ; it is said that they remain here during the whole 

 year, and breed in the marshes. During the day they rest in 

 flocks on the grassy plains, at some distance from the water. 

 Being at anchor, as I have said, in one of the deep creeks 

 between the islands of the Parana, as the evening drew to a 

 close, one of these scissor-beaks suddenly appeared. The water 

 was quite still, and many little fish were rising. The bird 

 continued for a long time to skim the surface, fl}'ing in its wild 

 and irregular manner up and down the narrow canal, now dark 

 with the growing night and the shadows of the overhanging- 

 trees. At Monte Video, I observed that some large flocks 

 during the day remained on the mud-banks at the head of the 

 harbour, in the same manner as on the grassy plains near the 

 Parana ; and every evening they took flight seaward. From 



