ls--its shape being precisely that of an oven, or depressed
bee-hive. The opening is large and arched, and directly in front.
Within the nest there is a partition which reaches nearly to the roof,
thus forming a passage or ante-chamber to the true nest.

THE LITTLE HOUSE-BUILDER.

There is another species of Furnarius, which the Spaniards call the
casarita, or little house-builder. This species builds its nest at the
bottom of a narrow cylindrical hole, which extends horizontally to
nearly six feet under ground. It generally chooses the side of a low
bank, but sometimes penetrates the mud walls round the houses, through
which it works its way, frequently--very much to its disappointment--
coming out unexpectedly on the opposite side.

THE SCISSOR-BEAK.

The scissor-beak (Rhynchops nigra) frequents the lakes and streams. It
is about the size of a tern, with short legs, webbed feet, and extremely
long, pointed wings. The beak is flattened laterally, and the lower
mandible is an inch and a half longer than the upper. When flying along
in small flocks, close to the surface of a lake, the birds keep their
bills wide open, the lower mandible half buried in the water. In their
flight they frequently twist about with extreme swiftness, managing,
with their projecting lower mandible, to plough up small fish, which
they retain in the lower half of their scissor-like bills. Each bird
thus leaves its wake on the mirror-like surface. On quitting the water
their flight is wild, irregular, and rapid. They then utter loud, harsh
cries; their tails, as they fly, are much used in steering their
irregular course.

During the day they may generally be seen resting in flocks on the
grassy plains, at some distance from the water, as they usually take to
fishing at night.

PARROTS.

A small green parrot, with a grey breast, frequents the banks of the
Parana. It builds on the higher branches of the taller trees.

These birds fly in large flocks, and commit great ravages on the
corn-fields.

THE BOAT-BILL HERON.

In the same localities the curious boat-bill heron is found,--its short
thick neck and enormous beak giving it a clumsy, ungainly look alongside
the elegant flamingo. The beak may be likened to two boats, laid one
upon the other, gunwale to gunwale, the upper part of the mandible
representing the keel. It feeds on the Crustacea which it picks up on
the shore, as well as on fish--on which it pounces, as they sw