THEEISTICUS MELANOPIS 87 



escasez de estas circunstancias, se juntan en el proprio arbol 

 quantas pueden acomodarse, y por la mafiana cada pareja 6 

 familia va a busuar el campo de su destino; porque no se aleja 

 de los que empezaron d freqiientar, pudiendo se contar con que 

 estan hoy donde ayer sobre poco mas 6 menos. La he visto 

 covar sobre un nido hecho de abundancia le palitos, y al parecer 

 hondo, colocado en la corona de un tronco tronchado d doce varas 

 de altura. En un pequefio corral vi un individuo, y so dueno 

 me dixo que se lo habian dado seis meses dntes ya adulto, y 

 que le habian criado desde polio en otra casa. Yivia en paz con 

 las Gallinas y Patos, aprovechando los desperdicios de la cocina 

 sin aspirar d escaparse. Quando se dirige d dormir al ponerse el 

 sol, vuela con bastante elevacion; pero por lo comun sus vuelos 

 son baxos, rectos, horizontales, algo espaciosos, con el cuello 

 tendido, batiendo d compas las alas, y posdndose d la vista." 



Darwin met with it on the desert gravelly plains of 

 Patagonia, lat. 48° S., and says:— " It generally lives in pairs, but 

 during part of the year in small flocks. Its cry is very 

 singular and loud ; when it is heard at a distance it closely 

 resembles the neighing of the guanaco. I opened the stomach of 

 two specimens, and found in them the remains of lizards, Cicadce, 

 and scorpions. It builds in rocky cliffs on the seashore; Q^g 

 dirty white, freckled with pale reddish brown ; its circumference 

 over longer axis is seven inches." 



Dr. Cunningham describes it as "very shy and wary ; and 

 it was long before a specimen was procured." 



In the Province of Buenos Ayres, Durnford found it a 

 winter visitor, arriving in May and leaving in October. He did 

 not observe it north of the city. He says : — " Its long curved 

 beak suggests an affinity to the Curlew ; but I have never seen it 

 except on comparatively dry ground, and its habits are quite 

 different from theirs. It is usually found in small parties, whose 

 harsh cries can be heard at a great distance. Its flight is easy 

 and powerful, and generally performed at a considerable height 

 in the air. It feeds on grubs and large worms." 



13 



