9 Barrows on Birds of the Lozver Uruguay. [January 



136. Speotyto cunicularia {MoL). Lechuza (Owl). — 

 Extremely abundant at Concepcion, living with the viscacha.s 

 (^Lagostomus trichodactylus)^ though usually, I think, not in 

 the same holes, but in deserted burrows. At night they were 

 quite common in the town, and 1 have often seen them perched 

 along the I'oof-tops and parapets in the gray of early morning. 

 The fixed stare with which they follow a person's motions, in 

 broad day, is illustrated by the following concise dii-ections com- 

 monly given to young foreigners who come out to make money at 

 farming. "Walk slowly around the bird until you see his head 

 twist oft'; then pick him up." 



127. Circus cinereus Vieill. Gavilan (Hawk). — Only 

 met with on the Pampas, and especially in the neighborhood of 

 the Sierras and the streams to which they give rise. It was not 

 uncommon near Bahia Blanca in February, and was easily dis- 

 tinguished from the following species, both by its lighter color and 

 smaller size. In habits, also, there was quite a difference, the 

 present species being rarely seen at any considerable distance 

 from water, and sitting for hours on the sandy or muddy bank of 

 a stream, whence it would rise only when closely approached. 

 We saw it frequently at the Ventana, on the Piqu^ and at Car- 

 hue. 



128. Circus maculosus Vieill. Gavilan (Hawk). — We 

 met with this Hawk quite frequently on the Pampas throughout 

 the whole of January, February, and March. It does not ap- 

 pear at Concepcion in any numbers until cool weather begins in 

 March. 



During April and May it was very abundant there, scores of 

 them being frequently seen during a day's shooting. It was very 

 familiar, and frequently flew around me within a few yards as if 

 out of simple curiosity. In habits it did not seem to differ very 

 much from our own Marsh Harrier ( Circus cyaneus var. hnd- 

 sonius). Of its breeding habits, however, I learned nothing. 



129. Asturina pucherani Scl. et Salv. Alcon (Falcon). 

 — Rather common in winter ; almost always found close to the 

 shore of some stream. During April, May and June, it was a 

 rare thing to spend an hour in a boat anywhere and not see one 

 or two of these Hawks. It feeds largely, if not exclusively, on 

 fish, nearly every specimen opened hciving their remains (and 

 nothing else) in its stomach. 



( To be continued^ \ '^S 



