1920.] Cape San Antonio, Bnenos Ayres. 63 



conspicuous, it is not a question of overlooking them, either 

 on my own part or on that of the numerous shepherds and 

 peones, who are all aware of my interest in such matters. 



The season ranges from the 1.2th of October to the end of 

 November, during which time the eggs found may be either 

 totally fresh or mostly incubated. In ]881 I found my first 

 colony; eleven years elapsed before my next (1892) ; the 

 season of 1899 revealed two separate communities ; that of 

 1904 one; whilst the great flood-year of 1913 had no less 

 than four to boast of. 



As has been said, there is no particular attempt to select 

 a specially sequestered situation for the colony, though on 

 the whole the birds prefer a locality where there are few 

 intruders and little traffic. Open marshy ground and a 

 wide outlook form the principal desiderata, and on the 

 islands thereof, or the small extinct ants' nests amidst the 

 shallow water — or anywhere that gives an opportunity to 

 establish themselves — the birds form their homes. These, 

 if the ground is at all sufficiently dry, may be a mere 

 "scrape," with but little lining; but, as a rule, the nature 

 of the site necessitates the construction of a regular bed or 

 nest of vegetable matter, sometimes two or three inches 

 high, and even then the eggs may not be quite dry. The 

 nine colonies previously enumerated contained some ten 

 to thirty breeding-pairs each (the general average being 

 seventeen pairs). There is no definite rule as to the dis- 

 tribution of the nests in a colony ; they may be closely 

 situated or wide npart, according to the nature and facilities 

 of tiie situation. In conclusion, of one point the oologist 

 may rest assured, /. e., the reality of his discovery of a 

 nesting-colony of the Brazilian Stilt — the vociferous noise 

 and extraordinary gestures of the parent birds will leave 

 him in no doubt upon that point ! 



In 1880 I alluded to the similarity between the eggs 

 of the Stilt and the Lapwing as follows : "The four eggs of 

 Himantopus hrasiliensis are very like those of Vanellus 

 cai/en?iensis (read grisescens), so like as to be almost indis- 

 tinguishable. The "I'ound-colour is somewhat richer and 



