LAKE REGION OF WESTERN ARGENTINA 419 



stringing out in various formations. They always went far 

 away before again dropping down into the water. 



We continued paddling through the centre of the open 

 water to a large mud-flat in search of flamingoes. The 

 natives called them chqflos, and said that a great many came 

 to this spot each day to feed on the small snails and other 

 mollusks which abound in the shallow places. When still 

 a good distance away we could make out what seemed to 

 be a long row of old piles driven into the centre of the mud- 

 flat. The water had become so shallow that the boat could 

 not proceed, so there was nothing to do but wade, not an 

 altogether pleasant experience, as it was bitter cold and 

 sheets of thin ice floated about everywhere. When we 

 moved, the flamingoes stood stock-still and looked at us; 

 when we stood motionless they lowered their heads, dabbled 

 in the mud, and walked about. From a distance they 

 seemed to be of enormous size, and until we were near by 

 they appeared coal-black. Finally they became restive, ran 

 back and forth a few steps and then, beating the air with 

 laborious strokes of the wings, flew away. Frequently, on 

 other occasions, they circled around a few times before de- 

 parting from the locality. 



We returned to camp by way of the sedge marshes, al- 

 though, on account of the bushes and shallow water, poling 

 the boat through the tangle was hard work. In the tops 

 of many of the bushes were immense nests, built of sticks 

 and reed-stems; they apparently belonged to the giant 

 coots, as many of these birds still used them for resting- 

 places; also, nearly all of the platforms were piled with 

 dead frogs which the coots had disembowelled. Our man 

 said that during the months of December and January all 

 the people living near the lagoons camp on the edge of the 

 water and collect eggs; they gather immense numbers and 

 take them to the markets of the neighboring towns to sell. 



There were ducks everywhere, feeding or playing among 

 the sedges, and flocks coming from the surrounding sloughs 

 whistled past constantly and plumped down with a splash. 



