1S84.J Hai{R()\vs on liirds of the Loiver Uniiritay. 3^7 



A few birtls of this species were seen in the salt hikclet of l*uaa 

 March 37, 18S1. Ill many places they are much hunted for the 

 skins, which form quite an article of commerce at Buenos Aires. 



303. Podiceps rollandi ^. ct G. — First met with on the 

 Napostd Chico, Feb. 33, 18S1. This is a small stream rising in 

 the Sierra de la Ventana and vanishing in the sand after a course 

 of fifteen or twenty miles. Ct contains but one species of fish, a 

 small ' chub,' which is also abimdant in most of the ponds of the 

 country. Many of the pools of this stream have a depth of twenty 

 to thirty feet, and, lying between perpendicular banks of twice 

 that height, were not easily accessible. Here several of these 

 beautiful Grebes swam in perfect safety ; and we met with them 

 again in similar places on the Pigu^. and Sauce Chico. A few 

 were seen at Carhu6 in April. 



304. Rhynchotus rufescens {Temm.). Perdiz grande 

 (Big Partridge). — Also called Martinete^ as is also the crest- 

 ed Tinamou ( Calodromas elegans) , which is found further south. 

 The present species is a rather common resident at Concepcion, 

 where is breeds. It frequents long grass and dense growths of 

 creeping vines and brambles, but avoids equally the open grazing 

 grounds and the wooded stretches. It runs with surprising speed, 

 and is very difficult to flush without a dog, but once started flies 

 straight and strong. But, as has been repeatedly noticed by 

 Hudson and others, its second flight is much feebler, and if forced 

 to rise for the tJiird time it soon drops and can then be easily 

 caught by a dog. Its ordinary call consists of four or five 

 mellow notes closely resembling the call of the Baltimore Oriole, 

 and for months I failed to attribute it to its true source. The 

 eggs, four in number, are always laid on the ground in a rude 

 nest of grasses, etc. They are about the size of a hen's egg, of a 

 beautiful, purplish-chocolate color, and with a polish not met 

 with outside this family. 



It would be difiicult to find an ^^^ which could compare in 

 beauty with those laid by this bird. The species was more or 

 less plenty at all points on the pampas. Its flesh is not particular- 

 ly good, but is a vast impovement on the dry, tasteless flesh of the 

 following species, which, nevertheless, is highly prized because it 

 is white ! 



305. Nothura maculosa ( Z'eww.). Perdiz (Partridge). 

 — This tail-less little bird, hardly bigger than Ortyx virghiianus^ 



