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

BIRDS OF ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY, AND CHILE 67
mens from South America available. The two birds taken have the
following measurements: Male, wing, 370; tail, 105; culmen, 172;
tarsus, 112; female, wing, 360; tail, 97; clumen, 163, tarsus, 105 mm.
Family PHOENICOPTERIDAE
PHOENICOPTERUS CHILENSIS Molina
Phaenicoptenis Chilensis Molina, Sagg. Stor. Nat. Chili, 1782, p. 242.
(Chile.)
In suitable localities in the Province of Buenos Aires the flamingo is
fairly common, incongruous, though beautiful, figures in the land-
scape to one accustomed to think of them as birds of more tropical
regions. At the mouth of the Rio Ajo near Lavalle on November 15,
1920, a dozen beat heavily past me in a strong wind, barely out of
gun range, while on the following day 50 in company were seen feeding
in a canal. Near Carhue, in southwestern Buenos Aires, flamingos
were observed frequently from December 15 to 18. A form of brine
shrimp (genus Artemia) swarmed in the heavily alkaline waters of
Lake Epiquen and may have formed the food of the great birds, as
the water was too heavily impregnated with salts to permit the oc-
currence of mollusks. At any rate flamingos occurred there in lines
or loose flocks, never separated far from one another, often in water
nearly to their bodies. While some fed by immersing their heads,
others rested quietly or preened their feathers with bills awkwardly
developed for such a use. As I approached they walked slowly a
little way and then extended their wings, raised the long legs sud-
denly, and started away, striking the water with alternating strokes
of their webbed feet in a clearly audible patter until they had
gained sufficient momentum to rise in the air. Occasionally they
gave low, honking calls.
On January 31, 1921, several bands were seen at the Laguna Castillos
near San Vicente, Rocha, Uruguay, where they ranged with
coscorobas and black-necked swans, a beautiful trio whose pleasantly
contrasting colors, visible for a long distances, linger clearly in
memory.
Family ANHIMIDAE
CHAUNA TORQUATA (Oken)
Chaja torqtiata Oken, Lehrb. Naturg., Th. 3, Zool., Abth. 2, 1816, p. 639.
(Paraguay and La Plata."')
Brabourne and Chubb, when they proposed °° the name Ghauna
salvadorii for the crested screamer, to replace Palmnedea cristata