1920.] Cupe Sail Antonio, Buenos Arjres. 1)5 



the first glance they show a considerable resemblance to 

 those of the European Sparrow (though larger), the ground- 

 colour being of a bluish white, thickly speckled and spotted 

 with light and dark brown. These markings increase, 

 however, towards the blunt end, where they form a circle 

 of stronger and darker blotches combined with a few streaks 

 of the same colour. 



260. Colaptes agricola Malh. Pampas AVoodpecker. 



To the neighbouring establishment of Ijinconia is also 

 due the first and only record of the Pampas AVoodpecker, a 

 pair having appeared about the garden there early in the 

 present year, 1919 ; one of which was shot on 1 February 

 by Mr. L. J. Runnacles, who kindly gave me an opportunity 

 of examining the skin. 



Mr. Pludson writes in 1889 of the growing rarity of this 

 species. He had known it well as a small boy, but had 

 come to regard it as " nearly extinct, and one may spend 

 years on the plains without meeting with a single example. '^ 

 But in this locality, the conditions of which have under- 

 gone none of the changes he alludes to, I have never known 

 it at all since the time I took up residence in 1872. After 

 reading Hudson's account of the species, as related in 

 'Argentine Ornithology,' 1 had kept a particular watch for 

 the occurrence of any chance individual. And it is therefore 

 curious that only now, and so late in the day, it should come 

 to be included in my local list, either as visitor or resident. 



263. Ceryle americana Gm. Little Kingfisher. 



To show that this Kingfisher only requires a little 

 encouragement in the nature of its environments in order 

 to extend its range, I would mention that Mr. M. A. 

 Runnacles recently informed me of how an individual of 

 this species, in the great flood of 1913-15, took up its abode 

 at Linconia, frequenting an artificial duck-pond in a secluded 

 spot amidst the willow-trees of the garden. It resided 

 there for about a year, but never paired, and hence had no 

 occasion to avail itself of any suitable nesting-site in the 

 banks of the deeply-excavated pond. 



