The Crested Screamer. 229 



made it possible for birds so large in size to form 

 such immense congregations are rapidly passing 

 away. In desert places, the bird subsists chiefly 

 on leaves and seeds of aquatic plants ; but when 

 the vast level area of the pampas was settled by 

 man, the ancient stiff grass-vegetation gave place 

 to the soft clovers and grasses of Europe, and to 

 this new food the birds took very kindly. Other 

 circumstances also favoured their increase. They 

 were never persecuted, for the natives do not eat 

 them, though they are really very good — the flesh 

 being something like wild goose in flavour. A 

 higher civilization is changing all this : the country 

 is becoming rapidly overrun with emigrants, espe- 

 cially by Italians, the pitiless enemies of all bird- 

 life. 



The chakars, like the skylark, love to soar 

 upwards when singing, and at such times when 

 they have risen till their dark bulky bodies appear 

 like floating specks on the blue sky, or until they 

 disappear from sight altogether, the notes become 

 wonderfully etherealized by distance to a soft 

 silvery sound, and it is then very delightful to 

 listen to them. 



It seems strange that so ponderous a fowl with 

 only six feet ' and a half spread of wings should 

 possess a power of soaring equal to that of vultures 

 and eagles. Even the vulture with its marvellous 

 wing power soars chiefly from necessity, and when 

 its crop is full finds no pleasure in " scaling the 

 heavens by invisible stairs." The chakar leaves its 

 grass-plot after feeding and soars purely for re- 

 creation, taking so much pleasure in its aerial 



