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

62 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
recorded at Las Palmas, Chaco, on July 27 and 31, while near the
Riacho Pilaga, in east central Formosa, the species was common.
On August 21 I examined one that had been killed near the station
known as Fontana at Kilometer 182 on the Government railroad.
One was observed near the town of Formosa on August 24, and a
short distance inland the birds were common. In eastern Buenos
Aires scattered individuals were seen east of Dolores on October 22,
while from October 27 to November 16 the species was common in
the marshes in the vicinity of Lavalle and extended west as far as
Santo Domingo. None were observed in western Buenos Aires. In
Uruguay I saw this species in small numbers at the Laguna Castillos,
near San Vicente, on January 31, and farther north near the Paso
Alamo on the Arroyo Sarandi on February 2. Scattered individuals
were noted near Lazcano on February 6 and 7.
This handsome bird is an inhabitant of Avet, open savannas where
woodland does not encroach too closely, or of extensive marshes and
wet meadows on the pampas. Its large size and contrasted colors
render it conspicuous, and it is a species that will become rarer as its
range is invaded more extensively by man. In the wilder d^istricth
Maguari storks were v^ary, as is any large bird that is hunted constantly,
but on some of the extensiA^e estancias in eastern Buenos
Aires, particularly at Los Yngleses, the great birds were seldom
molested, so they had become accustomed to herdsmen and others
passing through their haunts and paid little attention to men. In
the air these storks fly with neck outstretched and legs extended,
beating the broad wings strongly to gain momentum for a glide or
sail that may carry them for a long distance. At times they circle
with outspread wings, frequently rising a hundred meters or more
in the air. They evidence considerable interest in intrusions in their
haunts and swing back and forth overhead, turning the head curi-
ously to eye the intruder below. Where not molested they may pass
at 50 or 60 meters, but usually are more wary. In flight the peculiar
fork of the short, black-colored tail is readily seen through the mesh
of the white under tail coverts that project beyond the ends of the
longest rectrices.
It was not unusual in favorable situations in the Chaco to find 30
or 40 of these storks gathered in a scattered band, though elsewhere
they were less gregarious. It is possible that these congregations
represented migratory bands come up for Avinter from the south.
These storks were silent so far as my observation extended, save that
a bird with a broken wing clattered its bill loudly, but made no
attempt to strike at me. The species is known in Guarani as tuyuyii
and in Spanish as cigiiena. A male and a female that I killed on
October 28 near Lavalle, Buenos Aires, were not breeding, though in
fully adult plumage. The female slioAved the following colors: Tip