6 Mr. E. Gibson on the Ornithology of [Ih'is, 



an article of food (for the flesh is excellent) . " Tiene mucha 

 espuma/' " it has much froth/' is the Gaucho's disgusted 

 comment. This is in reference to the innumerable air-cells 

 existent between the skin and the flesh. Secondly, the 

 Argentines are essentially meat-eaters, i. e., beef or mutton 

 (preferably the former, and I have heard the expression used 

 "El que come carnero, piensa carnero," "He who tats 

 mutton thinks like a sheep "), game of any kind being 

 regarded with indifference. Long may these prejudices con- 

 tinue to the benefit and preservation of the Cliaja I 



The nesting-luibits have been fully described in my 

 former paper, so I will confine myself to the following 

 digression: '^ Hacer nido de CIkiJi'i/' "to make a Chaja's 

 nest/^ is the expression used when a deep pass in a swamp 

 has to be negotiated, and signifies the preparatory precau- 

 tion of folding or doubling-up the component rugs, etc., of 

 the Argentine " recado/' or saddle, in such a way as to gain 

 an additional height of six or eight inches. Perched up on 

 this, with his knees raised nearly to his chin, the rider 

 pushes forward, steering between the clumps of rushes and 

 watching the water gradually rise till it meets over the 

 horse's withers and streams along just below his seat, 

 anxiously calculating the while if the pass is only to prove 

 " bola a pie," or if it is to be a swimming matter, when the 

 Avater will rush up to his waist, and in front there will only 

 be visible the snorting head of his horse and a span of its 

 neck. 



As regards the number of eggs, 1 must differ from both 

 Hudson and Claude Grant. The full clutch is as often six 

 as five, and I have known two of seven each. By the 

 way, the eggs are excellent eating. Average measurements 

 87x58 mm. 



Chloephaga ruMdiceps Scl. P.Z. S. 1860, p. 415, pl.clxxiii. 



This, and the following species — Chloephaga puliocephala 

 Gray — are chronicled by Claude Grant fi oni Ajo (' The 

 Ibis,' 1911, p. 3-43). Neither have come under mj^ par- 

 ticular notice (nor have I known by heaisay of any such 



