1920.] Cape f^an Antonio, Buenos Aijres. 93 



well-bred herds and stud-Hocks. So now the llhea is only 

 tolerated on sufferance and preserved from extinction as an 

 " interesting bird/' 



Hudson mentions how the Rhea used to conceal itself 

 amidst the great grasses. But he does not add that it adopts 

 the same trick when closely pursued and exhausted. It then 

 doubles to one side and, as the horseman shoots beyond it, 

 throws itself flat^ Avith wings closely folded to the body and 

 the neck outstretched flat along the ground. So closely 

 does the plumage of the bird then harmonise with the 

 surroundings that I have been unable on these occasions to 

 detect it, even whilst my horse was almost moving over it ; 

 and it has been the large black unwinking eyes which have 

 first caught my own and guided my glance along the neck to 

 the crouched and immovable body. The whole attitude 

 affords a correct explanation of the erroneous expression 

 which alludes to the Ostrich "hiding its head in the sand 

 and thinking itself concealed from the hunter." Did the 

 Rliea always succeed in keeping its head out of view the 

 hunter would have much difhculty in placing the bird. 



Addenda. 



342. Sarcidiornis carunculata Licht. Crested Duck. 



Adult female, [ris dark blue ; pupil black ; feet slate- 

 blue. 



I have omitted to chronicle in its proper place the solitary 

 occurrence of the Crested Duck ; particularly interesting as 

 its habitat is given by Sclater and Hudson as " Brazil, 

 Paraguay, and northern confines of Argentina." And they 

 add, " Dr. Burmeister met with this Duck in the province of 

 Tucuman, and it probably occurs also in other places on 

 the northern frontiers of the Republic." 



The wandering individual in question was shot near 

 Linconia, on 15 September, 1898. My collector informed 

 me that it was in the company of other ducks and very 

 difficult of approach. 



