HATCHERS WORK IN PATAGONIA 319 



There is a considerable variety of birds in Patagonia. Water- 

 fowl are especially abundant, as are also birds of prey. I pre- 

 sume that the number of hawks and vultures is scarcely exceeded 

 in any district of equal area elsewhere in the world. Several 

 species of plover, grouse, and snipe are to be found on the pam- 

 pas, while thrushes, wrens, and sparrows are well represented. 

 Condors are plentiful, not only in the Cordilleras, but also along 

 the more precipitous river bluffs and in the lofty " barrancas " of 

 the coast of the Atlantic as far northward as Port Desire. The 

 rhea, or so-called ostrich, is abundant on the plains, and is oc- 

 casionally met with in the mountains. Beautifully colored red 

 and black flamingoes and swans are among the more striking 

 inland wading and swimming birds. In the Cordilleras a small 

 green paroquet is very abundant. Several species of fly-catchers 

 are plentiful, while two woodpeckers and two or three thrushes 

 are common. A jacksnipe occurs about the open streams and 

 parks, and five species of owl were taken. 



Of fresh-water fishes there does not appear to be a great variety, 

 but we succeeded in finding some of the streams fairly well stocked 

 with two or three species of splendid edible varieties. Sand liz- 

 ards are seen in great numbers, and present many different colors 

 and vary considerably in shape, especially in the length of the 

 tail. Frogs are present, though rare, but w-e never saw^ a snake 

 of any description. Of insects, the Coleoptera seemed best repre- 

 sented. Butterflies were represented by but few species, those 

 usually of the less conspicuous varieties. Dragon-flies are rare. 

 There are considerable varieties of ants, but bees, w\asps, and 

 other Hymenoptera are not abundant. 



HATCHER'S WORK IN PATAGONIA 



On February 29, 1896, Mr J. B. Hatcher, of Princeton, em- 

 barked for Buenos Aires, primarily to collect vertebrate fossils 

 iind recent organisms in Patagonia for Princeton University, in- 

 cidentally to obtain photographs and other data pertaining to 

 the aborigines for the Bureau of American Ethnology. He bore 

 letters from both institutions, those from the latter securing him 

 official recognition in Argentina ; and during his stay he received 

 every courtesy, as well as most material assistance, from the gov- 

 ernment of this rapidly growing republic. The success of his 

 work was largely due to these official facilities and to the good 



