10 Mr. E. Gibson on the Ornithology of 
among the buildings and yards of the head station. I once 
saw a solitary individual in the garden, however, whose exist- 
tence was being rendered miserable by the persistent attacks 
and persecution of a specimen of that well-named species 
Pitangus bellicosus. 
To the list of food furnished by Mr. Durnford (“ snails, 
slugs, and bits of meat or offal’’) I may add a small frog, 
about the size of half a walnut, and which is sought for in 
the lucern-patch. This is swallowed entire, as I have often 
found on dissection of the birds. 
Breeding-Notes.—Before my arrival in Buenos Ayres, I 
was aware of the beauty and unique style of colouring of the 
ege, and consequently have always hunted diligently for 
nests ; but I regret to say that my researches, though not 
altogether fruitless, have not been so well rewarded as they 
deserve. The natives, in answer to my inquiries, told me 
that it bred only in the autumn, which information, as far as 
my experience goes, has proved to be correct. This agrees 
with Mr. Durnford’s Baradero statement, that it has “two 
broods in the season.” 
One nest I heard of was placed among tall dead thistles 
(off the ground), in the plains, but near a house. It had 
eggs; but of its construction I could gather nothing from my 
informant. Time, end of summer. 
The second case consisted of a single egg, brought to me 
some time in autumn., The nest, situated in one of the woods 
of the head station, seemed to be nothing more nor less than 
a deserted Wood-Pigeon’s. No birds seen. 
The particulars of my only personal discovery I will ex- 
tract verbatim from my note-book :—‘‘ 18th March, 1876. 
Clutch of four, considerably incubated. Birds first observed 
on 10th inst. Generally only a pair about, but on one occa- 
sion observed no less than fourteen. Nest placed in top and 
centre of a very thick coronillo tree, about nine feet from 
the ground. Size of a Thrush’s, and consists entirely of 
thorny twigs, with a lining of green elder-tree leaves.” 
These four eggs have an everage measurement of 149 x 14/5; 
consequently they are larger than might have been expected 
