overhanging the eaves of a cottage, for except where persecuted the bird is quite fearless of man's presence. The eggs are two, and white. Besides the little creaking chirp uttered at short intervals while flying or hovering, this species has a set song, composed of five or six monotonous squeaking notes, uttered in rapid succession when the bird is perched. Dr. Burmeister met with this Humming-bird at Mendoza, Paraná, and Tucuman, and says it is the commonest species in La Plata, and easily recognizable by its red bill. Mr. Durnford also pronounces this species to be the commonest Humming-bird in the province of Buenos Ayres, and "abundant in the summer." It is not usual to meet with them in the winter; but Durnford saw a single specimen in a sheltered garden in the beginning of June. This Humming-bird feeds principally, he tells us, on the flowers of the Ceiba-tree, but not exclusively on honey, for the stomach of a specimen examined contained fragments of minute Coleoptera. During his last journey Durnford obtained examples of this species near Salta; and White found it very abundant and breeding near Catamarca in the month of September. According to Mr. Barrows the Glittering Humming-bird is also very common in Entrerios; he writes as follows:--"Very abundant at Concepcion in summer, arriving from the north early in September and departing again in April. Though found everywhere among flowers, they are particularly partial to open ground, flowery fields, gardens, &c., and in October it was not uncommon to have six or eight in sight at once." Fam. XXI. CYPSELIDÆ, or SWIFTS. The cosmopolitan family of Swifts, as far as is yet known, represented by one species only in the Argentine Republic. This is a fine large form of wide distribution, which extends over most of Southern and Central America. 241. HEMIPROCNE ZONARIS (Shaw). (RINGED SPINE-TAILED SWIFT.) +Hemiprocne zonaris+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 95. +Acanthylis collaris+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 449 (Mendoza). _Description._--Black, glossed with bronzy; a white collar round the neck, rather broader in front; tail spiny, slightly forked: whole length 8·5 inches, wing 7·5, tail 2·8. _Female_ similar. _Hab._ Central and South America down to Argentina. Dr. Burmeister observed specimens of this fine large Spine-tailed Swift near the Sierra of Mendoza in December and the following month. Fam. XXII. CAPRIMULGIDÆ, or GOATSUCKERS. Nearly fifty different species of the singular nocturnal birds commonly known as "Goatsuckers" are found in the Neotropical Region. They are most numerous within the tropics, where insect-life is more abundant, but also occur more sparingly in temperate latitudes. Six of them have been recorded as having been met with within the limits assigned to this work.