1920.] Cape San Antonio, Buenos Ay res. 00 



their loveliness — I could imagine them to be fairy watev- 

 nymphsj assuming the appearance of birds for tiie nonce, to 

 deceive and mock the mere human observer. 



I have never heard them give utterance to any note or 

 cry. 



On 1 September, 1915, I found that a pair had taken up 

 their abode in the small "charco^^ or pond close to the 

 horse-corral, between which and tlie garden of my private 

 house ran the road to the head-station (as public and 

 frequented a i)Osition as could well be imagined). They 

 undoubtedly nested ; though, from want of time, or because 

 1 could not bring my heart to disturb them, I never 

 verified the fact. They did not seem to mind the traffic on 

 the adjacent roadway, only flying a short distance to the 

 other side of the pond when directly approached by myself 

 or another horseman. The pair presented much discrepancy 

 in size ; the larger, and v.iiich 1 took to be the female, was 

 rarely seen after the presumed incubation had set in ; 

 previous to the end of October the pair had gone, and 

 doubtless taken their brood (which I never saw) with them. 

 Regarding the above-mentioned difference in size, I find it 

 noted that of the five single birds observed on the canal on 

 3 November, four were small (males ?) and one large 

 (female?). This point again supports the previous assump- 

 tion that the missing individuals were females, engaged in 

 the act of incubation. I should much like to have this 

 matter determined, as the facts were strongly impressed upon 

 my mindi 



386. Vanellus cayennensis Gm. Cayenne Lapwing. 

 Vanellus grisescens Prazak. 



Though I have retained the former nomenclature, the 

 correct placing of our Argentine species is undoubtedly the 

 latter, as pointed out by Claude Grant (* Ibis,' April 1912, 

 p. 274). 



Besides my former notes ('Ibis,' April 1880, p. 161), 

 there is now on record Mr. Hudson's far more complete 

 account of the liabits of this species. And it is with a mixed 



