136 BIRDS OF TIERRA DEL FUEGO 



feeding unconcerned 1}^ within forty yards of me, with my 

 horse stamping and sidling and blowing his nose with 

 impatience, whilst I kept them in view. 



Darwin describes this bird in such detail that it is clear 

 he considered it exceptionally interesting. "It is found," 

 he says, " wherever there are sterile plains, or open dry pasture 

 land, in South America. It frequents the most desolate places, 

 where scarcely another living creature can exist. It is found 

 either in pairs or in small flocks of five or six ; but near 

 the Sierra Ventana I saw as many as thirty and forty together. 

 Upon being approached they lie close, and then are very difficult 

 to be distinguished from the ground ; so that they often rise 

 quite unexpectedly. When feeding they walk rather slowly, 

 with their legs wide apart. They dust themselves in roads and 

 sandy places. They frequent particular spots, and may be 

 found there day after day. When a pair are together, if one is 

 shot, the other seldom rises ; for these birds, like Partridges, 

 only take wing in a flock. In all these respects, in the muscular 

 gizzard adapted for vegetable food, in the arched beak and fleshy 

 nostrils, short legs and form of foot, the Thmocorus has a close 

 affinity with Quails. But directly the bird is seen flying, one's 

 opinion is changed; the long pointed wings, so diff'erent from 

 those in the gallinaceous order, the high irregular flight, and 

 plaintive cry uttered at the moment of rising, recall the idea of 

 a Snipe. Occasionally they soar like Partridges when on the 

 wing in a flock. ... I opened the stomachs of many specimens 

 at Maldonado, and found only vegetable matter, which consisted 

 of chopped pieces of a thick rushy grass, and leaves of some 

 plant, mixed with grains of quartz. The contents of the 

 intestine and the dung were of a very bright green colour. At 

 another season of the year, and further south, I found the craw 

 of one full of small seeds and a single ant. Those which I shot 

 were exceedingly fat, and had a strong ofi'ensive game odour ; 

 but they are said to be very good eating when cooked. Pointers 

 will stand to them." 



