The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-05-29
BIRDS OF
Rare and Curious Species Found In
That Harren Land.

The Rare and Curious species Found In
That fBarren Land.
Prom IOngman's Magazine.
The black-faced ibis of Patagonia, u
bird nearly as large as q turkey. indulgcs
In a curious mad performance, usually in
the evening when feeding time IL over.
The birds of q flock, while winging their
way to the roostinR-place, all at once
seem possessed with frenzy, simultane.
ously dashing downward with amazing
violence, doubling about In the most &C.
centric manner aud when close to the sur
face rising again to repeat The action, all
the while making the mir palpitate for
miles around with their hard, metallic
cries. Other ibises, also birds of other
genera, have similar aerial performances.
The displays of most ducks known to
me take the form of mock fights on the
water; one exception Is the handsome
and l~oquacious whistling widgcon of La
Plat, which has "a pretty aerial perform
ance. A dozen or twenty birds rise up
until they appear like small specks ia the
sky, and sometimes disappear altogether.
and at hat great altitude they continue
lowering in one spot, often for an our or
longer. alternately closing and separat-
ing, the fine, bright, whistlinR notes and
fionrishes Of the male curiously harmon
izing with the grave, measured notes OF
the female, n every time they close
they slap one another on the wings so
smartly that the sound can he distinctly
heard, like ~applaudinR hand-claps, even
after the birds have ceased To he visible.
The rails, active, sprightly birds with
powerful and vafiel voices, are great per-
formers, but owing to tine nature of the
ground they inhabit and to their shy. sus-
picious character, II is not easy TO observe
their antics. The finest OF the Platan
rails is the ypecaha, a beautiful, active
bird about the size of a fowl. A number
of ypecahas have their assembling place
OH a small area of smooth, level ground
just above the water and hemmed in by
dense rush beds. First, n bird among
the rushcs emits n powerful cry, thrice re-
peated, and this Is a note of invitation,
all sides as they hurriedly repair to the
usual place. In n few moments they
appear to the number of a dozen
or twenty, bursting from the rushes
and running into the open space
and instantly beginning the per-
ing concert. The creams they utter have
"a certain resemblance TO the human voice
exerted to its utmost pitch n expression
OF extreme terror, frenzy and despair. A
long, piercing shrek, astonishing for its
vehemence n power, is succeeded by a
lower note, as III IN tne urst the creature
had well nigh exhausted itself; this
double scream is repeated several times,
and followed by other sounds resembling,
as they rise and fall, half smothercd cries
of pain and means OF anguish. Sud-
denly the unearthly shricks are renewed
i'm all their power. While screaming, the
birds rush from side to side, al il pos
sessed with madness, the wings spread
and vibrating, the long beak wide open
and raised vertically. This exhibition
lasts three or four minutes, after which
the assembly peacefully breaks up.
The singular waited, w~ing-spurred and
long-toed jacana has a remarkable per-
which seems specially designed
To bring out the concealed beauty OF the
silky. greenish hued wing quilts. The
birds go singly or in pairs, and a dozen or
fifteen individuals may he found in a
marshy place feeding within sight of n
another. Occasionally. in response to a
note OF invitation, they all in n moment
of feeding and fly to one spot, and
forming a close cluster and emitting
short, excited, rapidly repeated notes. dis
play their wings, like beautiful flags
grouped loosely together; some hold the
wings up vertically and motionless, others
half open and vibrating rapidly, while
still Others wave them mp n down with
a slow, measured motion.