372 IN THE WILDS OF SOUTH AMERICA 



number of females lay their eggs in the same nest, although 

 this is not always the case. The natives verified this state- 

 ment. This seems probable as I at no time saw the groups 

 split up into pairs; on the contrary, there were always 

 numbers of birds in the vicinity of each domicile. Our 

 record set contained twelve eggs. 



After ten days at Rosario de Lerma, we returned to Salta 

 and then took the train to Perico, a ride of three and a half 

 hours northward. At this station a branch railroad runs 

 northeastward into Argentina's vast Chaco region. The 

 track was being extended as rapidly as labor and material 

 can be obtained for the work, and we desired to go to the 

 end of the line where is located a station called Embarca- 

 cion. Before starting on this journey, however, we spent 

 some time at points noted on the downward journey from 

 La Quiaca. Perico is a busy little town, owing its activity 

 to the traffic occasioned by the railroad junction. The 

 buildings are low and dilapidated, and most of them con- 

 sist of a shop, or venta, in front, with living-rooms in the 

 rear. 



The shops are always worthy of exploration. In some, 

 huge piles of watermelons were displayed for sale; others 

 offered fruits and vegetables, and still others groceries and 

 dry-goods. Drinking-places were abundant. 



We were particularly interested to find numbers of rhea 

 eggs on sale in the outdoor market. They brought forty 

 centavos each and were delicious; the contents of each was 

 equal to about a dozen hen's eggs. I was told that they 

 were gathered from the nests of wild birds in the Chaco. 

 Each nest contains from ten to twenty or even thirty eggs, 

 which are more than one man can cany. When fresh, the 

 shell is of a deep cream-color; after incubation has started 

 or if the egg is addled, the color is pale, ashy gray. The 

 birds are killed and eaten — the flesh resembling that of a 

 goat's in flavor. 



One day a number of Indians arrived from San Pedro. 

 They brought huge baskets and crates of young amazon 



