24 
The Nahiralist hi La Plata. 
harrier-liko cliimango. These nest on the ground, 
are versatile in their habits, carrion- eaters, also 
killers on their own account, and, like wild dogs, 
sometimes hunt in bands, which gives them an 
advantage. They are the unfailing attendants of 
all flesh-hunters, human or feline; and also furiously 
pursue and persecute all eagles and true vultures 
that venture on that great sea of grass, to wander 
thereafter, for ever lost and harried, the Hagars 
and Ishmaels of their kind.” 
The owls are few and all of wide-ranging species. 
The most common is the burrowing-owl, found in 
both Americas. IN’ot a retiring owl this, but all day 
long, in cold and in heat, it stands exposed at the 
mouth of its kennel, or on the vizcacha’s mound, 
staring at the passer-by with an expression of grave 
surprise and reprehension in its round yellow eyes ; 
male and female invariably together, standing stiff 
and erect, almost touching — of all birds that pair 
for life the most Darby and Joan like. 
Of the remaining land birds, numbering about 
forty species, a few that are most attractive on 
account of their beauty, engaging habits, or large 
size, may be mentioned here. On the southern por- 
tion of the pampas the military starling (Sturnella) 
IS found, and looks like the European starling, with 
the added beauty of a scarlet breast i among resi- 
dent pampas birds the only one with a touch of 
brilliant colouring. It has a pleasing, careless song, 
uttered on the wing, and in winter congregates in 
great flocks, to travel slowly northwards over the 
plains. When thus travelling the birds observe a 
kind of order, and the flock feeding along the 
