UIO I'AKANA. 177 



These parrots always live in flocks, and commit 

 great ravages on tlie corn-fields. I v\'as told that 

 near Colonia 2500 were killed in the course of 

 one year. A bird with a forked tail, terminated 

 by two long feathers (Tyrannus savana), and named 

 by the Spaniards scissoi--tail, is very common near 

 Buenos Ayres : it commonly sits on a branch of 

 the ombu-tvee, near a house, and thence takes a 

 short flight in pursuit of insects, and returns to the 

 same spot. When on the wing, it presents in its 

 manner of flight and general appearance a carica- 

 ture-likeness of the common swallow. It has the 

 power of turning very shortly in the air, and in so 

 doing opens and shuts its tail, sometimes in a hori- 

 zontal or lateral, and sometimes in a vertical direc- 

 tion, just like a pair of scissors. 



October lQt]i. — Some leagues below Rozario, the 

 western shore of tlie Parana is bounded by per- 

 pendicular cliffs, which extend in a long line to 

 below San Nicolas ; hence it more resembles a 

 sea-coast than that of a fresh- water ri\er. It is a 

 great drawback to the scenery of the Parana, that, 

 from the soft nature of its banks, the water is very 

 muddy. The Uruguay, flowing through a granitic 

 country, is much clearer ; and where the two chan- 

 nels unite at the head of the Plata, the waters may 

 for a long distance be distinguished by their black 

 and red colours. In the evening, the wind being 

 not quite fair, as usual we immediately moored, 

 and the next day, as it blew rather freshly, though 

 with a favouring current, the master was much too 

 indolent to think of starting. At Bajada, he was 

 described to me as "liombre muy aflicto" — a man 

 always miserable to get on ; but certainly he bore 

 all delays with admirable resignation. He was an 

 old Spaniard, and had been many yeai's in this 

 country. He professed a great liking to the Eng- 

 VoL. 1—12 



