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126 BULLETIN 133^ UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
ARAMIDES YPECAHA (Viellot)
Rallus ypecaha Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. His. Nat., vol. 28, 1819, p. 568.
(Paraguay.)
The ypecaha, as this large wood rail is loiown, was fairly common
about the saw-grass swamps in the Chaco where its strange notes,
that suggested the combination wheeze and clank of a rusty windmill
pump, came morning and evening in one of the strangest bird con-
certs that I have ever heard. Occasionally during the day one ran
out through the rank growth to pause with twitching tail to look
from the crest of some low bank before it disappeared over the rise
and was lost in heavy cover beyond. At the Riacho Pilaga one
evening a dog that had accompanied me while I set some traps,
plunged into a swamp and immediately two wood rails came flying
swiftly out and passed rapidly to safer cover. One morning at day-
break, while crossing from Lazcano to the Rio Cebollati in southern
Uruguay, I saw two walking about with heads erect and twitching
tails in an open pasture far from any cover, but on no other occa-
sion were they observed save as they crossed ahead of me from one
grass covert to another.
The only specimen taken was a female shot at Lazcano, Uruguay,
on February 7, 1921. The species was recorded at the following
points: Las Palmas, Chaco, July 30, 1920 (heard daily during my
stay here, but not recognized during the first few days) ; Riacho
Pilaga, Formosa, August 13 to 20; Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay, Sep-
tember 1 and 3 ; Lavalle, Buenos Aires, November 2 and 9 ; Lazcano,
Urugauy, February 7 to 9.
The species was kept often in captivity and was among the native
birds offered for sale in the bird stores in the cities.
Family ARAMIDAE
ARAMUS SCOLOPACEUS CARAU Vieiilot
Aramus carau Vieuxot, Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat., vol. 8, 1817, p. 300.
(Paraguay.)
In the northern portion of the Chaco the limpkin, known by the
appelation of carau, was fairly common in localities remote from
habitation.
In Formosa the species was observed from the train on August 5,
1920, and again on August 21, in passing between the town of Formosa
and the station in the interior at Kilometer 182. At times 40
or 50 were congregated on suitable marshes. Limpkins were noted
at the lagoon at Kilometer 110, west of Puerto Pinasco on September
23, and a male was taken. Others were seen at Kilometer 200 on the
following day. On September 30 I found two in flooded forest on
the eastern bank of the Rio Paraguay opposite Puerto Pinasco.