1833.] THE OVEN-BIRD. 95 
The genus Furnarius contains several species, all small birds, 
living on the ground, and inhabiting open dry countries. In 
structure they cannot be compared to any European form. Or- 
nithologists have generally included them among the creepers, 
although opposed to that family in every habit. The best known 
species is the common oven-bird of La Plata, the Casara or 
housemaker of the Spaniards. The nest, whence it takes its 
name, is placed in the most exposed situations, as on the top of 
a post, a bare rock, or on a cactus. It is composed of mud and 
bits of straw, and has strong thick walls: in shape it precisely 
resembles an oven, or depressed beehive. ‘The opening is large 
and arched, and directly in front, within the nest, there is a 
partition, which reaches nearly to the roof, thus forming a passage 
or antechamber to the true nest. 
Another and smaller species of Furnarius (F. cunicularius), 
resembles the oven-bird in the general reddish tint of its plu- 
mage, in a peculiar shrill reiterated cry, and in an odd manner 
of running by starts. From its affinity, the Spaniards call it 
Casarita (or little housebuilder), although its nidification is 
quite different. The Casarita builds its nest at the bottom of a 
narrow cylindrical hole, which is said to extend horizontally to 
nearly six feet under ground. Several of the country people 
told me, that when boys, they had attempted to dig out the nest, 
but had scarcely ever succeeded in getting to the end of the 
‘passage. The bird chooses any low bank of firm sandy soil by 
the side of a road or stream. Here (at Bahia Blanca) the walls 
round the houses are built of hardened mud; and I noticed that 
one, which enclosed a courtyard where I lodged, was bored 
through by round holes in a score of places. On asking the 
owner the cause of this, he bitterly complained of the little 
casarita, several of which I afterwards observed at work. It is 
rather curious to find how incapable these birds must be of ac- 
quiring any notion of thickness, for although they were con- 
stantly flitting over the low wall, they continued vainly to 
bore through it, thinking it an excellent bank for their nests. I 
do not doubt that each bird, as often as it came to daylight on 
the opposite side, was greatly surprised at the marvellous fact. 
I have already mentioned nearly all the mammalia common 
in this country. Of armadilloes three species occur, namely, 
