58 BIRDS OF LA PLATA 
have at all events never seen them followed by the 
young of Molothrus demanding food. 
As a rule small seed-eating birds are beneficially 
affected by the presence of man; thus our common 
Zonotrichia and other sparrows and finches have 
become excessively numerous in the most thickly- 
settled districts. With the Red-billed Finch, however, 
just the contrary has happened; and since I have 
known this species it has disappeared from many 
localities where it was once quite common. Azara’s 
name for this species, Habia de banado, signifies that 
it is a marsh bird; but though now found chiefly 
in marshy situations, it was once common enough 
over the entire pampas region, before the great 
plains were settled on by Europeans. The bird is 
very badly protected by nature against raptorial 
species, owing to its very conspicuous red beak, its 
habit of perching on the summit of tall plants and 
other elevated positions, its loud impetuous voice, 
which invites attention, and the weak eccentric 
flight, which challenges pursuit. It is essential to 
its safety that it should have, in the open country 
it frequents, a dense grass cover into which it can 
plunge on the slightest alarm. Where cattle are 
introduced, the original pampas-grass which afforded 
the suitable conditions disappears, giving place to 
the soft, perishable grasses, clovers, and thistles of 
Europe. Where these changes take place, the bird 
cannot escape from its enemies and quickly dis- 
appears; while many Dendrocolaptine species in- 
habiting the same situations are saved by their 
