1920.] Cape San Antonio, Bvenos Ayres, 71 



the cause of the irregularity, and why both north and south 

 should fail us completely throughout these seasons. 



I have alluded to the very large flocks which are some- 

 times to be found at the LagunasPalenque and Milan ; and 

 on more than one of these oecasions several birds have 

 dropped to my gun. The flock would then again and again 

 sweep round and hover over the individuals in the water, 

 uttering loud cries of distress_, quite regardless of my 

 presence in the open and the renewed gunfire. Though the 

 Godwit is such an excellent table bird, I found myself unable 

 to continue the slaughter under these circumstances. I 

 might select my birds, but so closely were they packed 

 together that the shots went practically " into the brown," 

 and caused innumerable cripples. 



409. Niimenms horealis Forst. Esquimo Wbimbrel. 



Mr. Hudson writes of this species as if he had no personal 

 knowledge of it, and accordingly only quotes other observers. 

 Claude Grant makes no allusion to it at all in connection 

 with his two visits to the Ajo district. Formerly, I used to 

 observe it occasionally and irregularly as a brief visitor at 

 the height of summer or the beginning of autumn. Rarely 

 seen alone, it was generally associated with tlie American 

 Golden or other Plovers, frequenting certain localities where 

 the plains were most open, bare, and dry ; and exceedingly 

 wild, even where horsemen were concerned. The last few 

 entries in my diary are as follows : " 13th February, 1899. 

 Must have seen some twenty or thirty Whimbrel in vicinity 

 of Linconia, associated with Golden and other Plovers (all 

 these had disappeared from the locality by the 20tli of the 

 same month)." ''8th April, 1901. Mr. M. A. Runnacles 

 reported a small flock, seen only for one day, in vicinity of 

 Linconia. And on the 16th of that month, a few were 

 observed in the Palenque district.^^ 



I am prolix to the above extent, but advisedly so; for, 

 even making allowance for my own frequent absences from 

 the Yngleses since the year 1901, I was beginning to be 

 exercised as to the non-recurrence of the species, as judged 



