54 Mr. E. Gibson on the Ornithotogy of [Ibis, 



bring the Jacaiia to my notice, nor did the equally brief one 

 of 1884. It required the two-years' inundation of 1899- 

 1900 to furnish me with my first record, i.e. after 28 years' 

 residence. My attention was then drawn by one of my 

 observers to an "unknown bird'' which had made its 

 appearance at the end of August 1899, on the open flooded 

 land at the north side of the estaucia. By the description 

 given me of the stranger, and the way in which it ran about 

 over the aquatic vegetation, I had no hesitation in judging 

 it to be a Jacana; a surmise which was confirmed when the 

 said observer and myself saw the bird again in the same 

 locality two months later, and we then came to the con- 

 clusion that it also had a mate and nest in the vicinity. 

 The ensuing winter (of 1900) a roughly prepared skin was 

 brought to me from a locality on the coast, somewhat to the 

 south of the Yngleses. 



Ajo and the Yngleses knew the species no more for over 

 a dozen years ; when, as was to be expected, the three 

 years' record flood of 1913-15 brought it to the fore once 

 more, to my great gratification. From the end of August 

 to the end of March seemed to be the duration of its stay 

 each yeai', and there is little doubt of its nesting. It was 

 also observed (" various individuals") on the neighbouring 

 estaucia of Las Violetas. On the Yngleses it was much 

 localised, preferring the great open expanses free of rusiies 

 but covered with shallow water and surface vegetation of the 

 "camalote" and duckweed nature. It could not by any 

 means be called abundant ; generally one was seen at a time, 

 and on a certain red-letter day two pairs and an odd bird 

 were observed on the western side of the estancia, not far from 

 the Coscoroba Swans' nesting san(;tuarj\ On the occasion 

 when I navigated the great canal between Ajo and Santo 

 Domingo, 3 November, 1915, the number counted was nine, 

 consisting of two pairs and five single birds; but the con- 

 ditions were exceptionally favourable. 



The flight is low, swift, and stra'ght, but not prolonged. 

 Then, as also when they raise and stretch their wings, pre- 

 paratory to flight — or for apparently the mere exhibition of 



