The Desert Pampas. 23 



geese; and many Passerine birds, chiefly of the 

 Tyrant family. 



Should the long projected Australasian expedition 

 to the South Polar regions ever be carried to a 

 successful issue, there will probably be important 

 results for ornithology, in spite of the astounding 

 theory which has found a recent advocate in Canon 

 Tristram, that all life originated at the North Pole, 

 whence it spread over the globe, but never succeeded 

 in crossing the deep sea surrounding the antarctic 

 continent, which has consequently remained till now 

 desolate, " a giant ash (and ice) of death." Nor 

 is it unlikely that animals of a higher class than 

 birds exist there ; and the discovery of new mam- 

 malians, differing in type from those we know, 

 would certainly be glad tidings to most students of 

 nature. 



Land birds on the pampas are few in species and 

 in numbers. This may be accounted for by the 

 absence of trees and other elevations on which birds 

 prefer to roost and nest ; and by the scarcity of 

 food. Insects are few in dry situations ; and the 

 large perennial grasses, which occupy most of the 

 ground, yield a miserable yearly harvest of a few 

 minute seeds ; so that this district is a poor one 

 both for soft and hard billed birds. Hawks of 

 several genera, in moderate numbers, are there, but 

 generally keep to the marshes. Eagles and vultures 

 are somewhat unworthily represented by carrion- 

 hawks (Polyborinse) ; the lordly carancho, almost 

 eagle-like in size, black and crested, with a very 

 large, pale blue, hooked beak — his battle axe : and 

 his humble follower and jackal, the brown and 



