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

BIRDS OF ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 7
lower as we progressed. The dry season was near its close, and
lagoons and streams were disappearing rapidly where they were
not already dry. We crossed the stream bed of the Riacho Salado
several times, now dry except for occasional alkaline pools, and
passed two fair-sized lakes, Laguna Lata and Laguna Perdido. At
Kilometer 200 we camped at a lake named Laguna Wall. Here w^e
were beyond the limits of the Anguete Indians and encountered the
first Lenguas. Seventy-five kilometers beyond was Laguna Verde,
and still farther we heard there was a large Indian village. Con-
siderable areas of slightly rolling country, with loose sandy loam,
were traversed, and extensive thickets of a heavy thorned shrub,
Imown as vinal., were encountered. There was evident approach to
a more arid section, different from that found nearer the river. (PL 5.)
We saw one jaguar, greatly astonished at the apparition of our
rapidly moving car, encountered two otters traveling in search of
permanent water, and startled occasional small deer, or rheas. Birds
were numerous. On September 26 we returned to the home ranch,
and on the 28th I arrived again in Puerto Pinasco. On September
30 an Indian took me across to the eastern bank of the Rio Paraguay,
where I spent the day on the long hill already mentioned, the Cerro
Lorito, of limestone formation, which rises 100 meters or more above
the stream. Tall forest growth came to the water's edge and har-
bored species of birds not seen in the Chaco. Broad stretches of
quiet water on either side of the river were covered with masses of
floating water hyacinth and other growth, known collectively as
camalote.
On October 2 I took the steamer to Asuncion, where I arrived on
October 3, and continued on the 7th by rail to Buenos Aires, reach-
ing that city on the 9th. Various matters of business consumed the
period until October 19 when I proceeded to Dolores, in the eastern
part of the Province of Buenos Aires, by rail, and then on October
22 continued east to Lavalle, traveling by motor as far as Conessa
and by horse-drawn vehicle for the remainder of the distance. This
region is a vast plain, elevated only slightly above sea level, with
winding channels or cailadones bordered by rush-grown marshes at
frequent intervals. Land was divided into extensive estancias given
over mainl}?^ to grazing, so that rural population was limited. Lavalle
(formerly called Ajo) is a straggling village on the banks of a
small tidal stream known as the Rio Ajo. The land here is lower
than at Dolores, so that exceptional tides force water up into some
of the streets of the village; 10 kilometers below Lavalle the Ajo
flows into the Bay of Samborombon. For this distance the stream
is bordered by marshes and alkaline barrens, grown with Salicomia
feruviana^ with occasional little elevated spots that support a few
low trees or bushes. Tidal channels with soft clay bottoms, difficult