Bulletin - United States National Museum - si-pddr - Smithsonian ...

BIRDS OF ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 5
^ocks of maguari storks, coiirlans, and other strange birds were
numerous. In mid-afternoon I reached my destination, Kilometer
182 (known locally as Fontana), and there left the railroad at the
hospitable invitation of Don Pedro Upitz to continue by oxcart
northwest for 15 kilometers to the estancia Linda Vista on the
Riacho Pilaga. Seilor Upitz had come in here as a colonist four
years before, and had established himself beyond the limit of scant
settlement in open country ranged by the Tobas. For several miles
on either side of the railroad the forest had been cut away, but at
the Riacho Pilaga tree growth was in its original condition. Open
savannas, often of a marshy nature, mingled with scattered groves,
while near the small sluggish streams, known as riachos, were
extensive forests with a jungle undergrowth that, as it was not
grazed, required a machete to penetrate. Several lagoons, some
covered with matted vegetation that drifted about with the wind,
offered attraction to water birds. The savannas were grown with
bunch grass that seldom attained great height as it was burned
yearly by the Indians to drive out concealed game. An extensive
forest, known as the Monte Ingles, lay near a little frequented
stream, the Riacho Ingles. The country as a whole was higher
than that immediately west of Formosa and was now comparatively
dry. It is inundated extensively during the summer rains. Frost
was frequent; the first intimation of spring came toward the close
of my stay with the blossoming of the tree known as lapacho
{Teconia ohtusata). On August 21 I returned to Formosa for
further work for a few days. (Pis. 2 and 5.)
On August 26 I passed my equipment through the Argentine
customs in Formosa and crossed by rowboat to Alberdi, Paraguay,
a little town on the opposite side of the Rio Paraguay, where passage
was secured by steamer for Asuncion. The following morning
I had a view of the winding outlet of the Rio Pilcomayo, and a short
time later landed in Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay. Through
the kindness of officials of the International Products Co., I re-
ceived permission to visit their extensive land holdings in Alto
Paraguay, and on August 28 set out up river again for Puerto
Pinasco.
The Rio Paraguay this season was higher than normal by several
feet, the water was tinged a dull olive, though with little sediment,
and the current ran swiftly. On the west the shores were uniformly
low, but low hills appeared at intervals on the eastern bank. At
long intervals we stopped at small towns, and once or twice remained
for several hours to take on wood used as fuel. The boat arrived
at Puerto Pinasco, marked on older maps as Puerto Stanley, at
daybreak on August 31. At this point the river is deflected to the
west by a long hill projecting from higher country behind, and flows
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