236 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



unenclosed, except at the necessary corrals or folds, is now 

 being rapidly divided by wire fencing. The former of 

 these changes cannot fail to affect the indigenous fauna 

 of the country, by the increase of grain feeding species. 



The Estancia de la Tala, which, as above stated, forms 

 part of San Jorge, is situated at its western extremity, 

 and is watered by the Tala, from which it derives its 

 name, and which in its turn is so called from the Tala 

 shrub {Celtis tala), a thorny bush resembling the hawthorn, 

 which is numerous on its banks. It flows in a north- 

 westerly direction into the Eio Negro about eight miles 

 from the station. The Estancia or station lies about 170 

 miles nearly due north of Monte Video, and 50 miles 

 from Durazno, to which there is now railway communica- 

 tion from the capital. 



The garden attached to the station, and where many of 

 the nests described were obtained, is from 6 to 8 acres 

 in extent, planted with various trees and shrubs, such as 

 orange, peach, pear, apple, and other trees, and is enclosed 

 with a hedge of a prickly plant called Zina Zina {Parhinsonia). 

 On the banks of the Tala, and about a mile distant from the 

 Estancia, is one of the woods described above as fringing 

 many of the water- courses, and which in this case is about 

 50 yards wide, consisting of Tala {Celtis tala), Laurel so 

 called (Oreodaphne acutifolia), Sauce or Willow (Salix 

 Humholdtiana ?), Seybo {Erythrina Crista-galli), and numer- 

 ous creepers, and where, as after mentioned, several of the 

 nests were obtained. 



As the list of species enumerated is not a large one, its 

 chief interest lies in its being the first hitherto published 

 from the district described, and to which I hope to be able 

 to add on a future occasion. 



1. Cathartes atratus (Bartr.) — Black Vultm-e : native name 

 " Cuervo." — This species is found from the Southern States 

 of North America, down through Mexico, Central and South 

 America, to nearly the Straits of Magellan, or according to 

 Darwin, about 41° south latitude. It is also found in some 

 of the West Indian islands. It is stationary in Central 

 Uruguay. It prefers a well-watered country, and is never 



