TO VILLA DE ST. SALVADOR. 



93 



shot two species of falcon, a beautiful new species of kite* with a 

 crown on the head, like our falco cyaiieus (hen-harrier), and the 

 falco busarellus, with rust-coloured body and yellowish white head. 

 I found, in the neighbourhood of our house, the nest, with the eggs 

 of the hcntavi (lanius pitangua. Linn.) which is in the shape of an 

 oven, and closed at the top. 



To the north of Battuba, the plain is interspersed with spacious 

 lagoas, which are the retreat of innumerable ducks, herons, and 

 other aquatic and marsh birds ; such of these species as inhabit this 

 country may here be studied with peculiar advantage. We had 

 been told that we should here find the beautiful rose-coloured spoon- 

 bills (plat aha ajaja. Linn.) and in fact we saw them to-day for the 

 first time. About thirty of them were sitting together in a marshy 

 place, and soon attracted our notice from their appearance, like a 

 large dark rose-coloured spot. Our hunters crept towards them with 

 the greatest caution, and even threw themselves on the ground, as 

 they approached nearer ; but all in vain : the timid birds rose im- 

 mediately, and flew in a splendid train over the heads of other 

 hunters, who discharged their double-barrelled guns at them, but 

 unluckily without effect. We could only adorn our hats with some 

 of the beautiful rose-coloured quill feathers which we found in the 

 marsh. Herons, the black ibis-f-, ducks, sand pipers, and cormorants 



* Falco palustris ; 19 inches 8 lines long : the head is surrounded with an owl's crow n, of 

 a mixture of yellowish white and dark brown ; over the eye a whitish stripe ; lower parts 

 pale yellowish red, with dark brown longitudinal stripes ; throat, dark brown ; thighs and 

 rump, rusty red ; all the upper parts dark brown ; quill and tail feathers, ash grey, with 

 dark brown transverse stripes. 



t Among the Brazilian species of the family of the scythe-billed waders, the gnava ( tan- 

 talus ruber. Linn.) is particularly distinguished by its dark red plumage. I did not tind this 

 beautiful bird any where along the whole coast, and the Corograjia Brasilica asserts that 

 this species is not now to be found at the Ponta de Guaratyba, a little to the south of Rio 



