LAUGHING CACHALOTE 233 
length by about two in breadth at the widest part, 
the whole very much resembling a gigantic powder- 
flask lying on its side among the lower branches of 
a spreading tree. It is quite loosely built and the 
nest-cavity is rather indefinite, being any portion 
of the floor of the nest which the bird selects for 
the reception of the eggs. These are usually three 
or four in number, pure white, and are laid from 
October until January. They can usually be counted 
through the loose floor of the nest, though sometimes 
its thickness prevents this.” 
LAUGHING CACHALOTE 
Homorus gutturalis 
Nearly uniform earthy grey, faintly tinged with olivaceous brown 
above, and much paler beneath; lores and upper part of throat pure 
white, lower part of throat black, or white and black mixed; under 
wing-coverts white, faintly tinged with pale cinnamon ; beak and feet 
bluish grey; length 9.4 inches. 
I FOUND this bird quite common on the dry open 
plains in the neighbourhood of the Rio Negro in 
Patagonia. In size, form, and crest it is like the 
northern Cachalote, but has a white throat, while the 
rest of the plumage is of a pale earthy brown instead 
of rufous. Like the Rufous Cachalote it is also shy 
in disposition, and, being so dull in colour and with- 
out the bright beak and eye tints, has not the bold, 
striking appearance of that species; still I do not 
think any ornithologist can meet with it and fail to 
