80 PATAGONIAN EXPEDITIONS : NARRATIVE. 



state of perfect quiet, which would continue uninterrupted until the early 

 morning, when, with considerable noise and confusion, they would sally 

 forth from their eyries in the cliffs to feed during the day on the broad 

 level pampas. In this they were as regular as an alarm clock, and as 

 they went screaming over our tent toward their favorite feeding grounds 

 on the higher pampas, we knew that it was time to get up and prepare for 

 the day's work. On returning to our work on any morning, the scene of 

 so much activity during the previous and succeeding evenings would be 

 entirely deserted. It was evident, therefore, that for the present at least 

 these cliffs were used by these birds only as roosting places. I was 

 assured, however, by the natives that later in the season many of them 

 might be seen nesting in the cliffs. Concerning the accuracy of this 

 statement I can say nothing, never having either verified or disproved it 

 by my own observations. 



Another bird which made its appearance with the early spring was the 

 spur-winged plover, Belonopterus chilensis, a rather handsome bird, pret- 

 tily marked with white and black, with a long spur of a delicate pink color 

 protruding from the wrist of either wing. These birds usually go in 

 droves of from ten to a dozen and frequent the margins of shallow ponds 

 and lakes, where they stalk about on their slender, but not over long legs 

 of a rich pinkish tint, and feed on the tender shoots of grass and, no doubt, 

 certain species of insects as well. Like the ibis, they are extremely 

 noisy birds, especially when disturbed either by night or day. While on 

 the ground and undisturbed I do not recall that they were less quiet than 

 other birds of their class. On taking to flight, however, whether of 

 their own volition or from being disturbed by an intruder, they accom- 

 pany such operation by a series of loud shrill notes uttered in rapid suc- 

 cession, which are continued at intervals throughout their flight, although 

 they suddenly relapse into absolute quiet on alighting again on the mar- 

 gin of the same or an adjacent pool. Judging from the frequent flights 

 which I have observed these birds to make, apparently at all hours 

 throughout the night, I should say that they were nocturnal, at least to 

 the extent of being indifferent as to any particular time of day or night 

 for feeding purposes. Freqently throughout my subsequent travels in 

 Patagonia, when encamped convenient to a lagoon frequented by these 

 birds, and not particularly desirous of sleep, I have lain awake through- 

 out the greater portion of the night^ intently listening to the notes and 



