STERNA HIRUNDINACEA 137 



In the Province of Buenos Ayres, Durnford sometimes found 

 T. rumicivorus in large flocks. " In their habits," he says, 

 " they resemble the Rails and Sandpipers. Like the former 

 they sometimes squat closely to the ground till almost 

 trodden upon, and when put up run some distance before taking 

 wing. They frequent very arid dry places, and also damp, 

 marshy ground. In the air their long, pointed wings, and rapid 

 erratic flight, added to their low whistling note, alwa3^s suggests 

 an affinity to the Tringce. In size and weight I have found these 

 birds to differ exceedingly, and this is not dependent on sex . . . 

 Their food consists of fibrous vegetable matter and seeds." 



In Central Patagonia, he observed them resident and abundant 

 throughout his journey. " I took eggs at the end of October," 

 he says, " and the young were running in the middle of 

 November : but this species probably has two or more broods 

 in the season ; for I found chicks in March. The nest is a 

 slight depression in the ground, sometimes lined with a few 

 blades of grass ; and before leaving it the old bird covers up 

 the eggs with little pieces of stick. The eggs are pale stone 

 colour, very thickly but finely speckled with light and dark 

 chocolate markings ; they have a polished appearance, and 

 measure 1*3 by 0.8 inches." 



In my experience, this bird feeds exclusively on vegetable 

 matter. 



The Onas know it as " Kok.'^ 



Family LARID^ 



STERNA HIRUNDINACEA (Lesson) 



sterna hirundinacea, Lesson, Traits d'Ornithologie, p. 621, 1831 ; 

 Durnford, Ibis, p. 404, 1878 ; Sclater and Hudson, Argentine Orn., ii, 

 p. 196, 1889 ; Oustalet, Miss. 8ci. Gap Horn, Ois., p. 183, 1891 ; Saunders, 

 Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xxv, p. 52, 1896 ; Oates, Cat. Birds' Hggs Brit. 

 Mus., i, p. 182, 1901. 



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