On the Rio Negro of Patagonia I found these Vultures abundant, especially near the settlement of El Carmen, where, attracted by the refuse of the cattle-slaughtering establishments, they congregated in immense numbers, and were sometimes seen crowded together in thousands on the trees, where they roosted. Darwin observed them at the same place, and has described their soaring habits at considerable length. The following account of the nesting-habits of this species is given by Mr. John J. Dalgleish (Proc. Roy. Phys. Soc. Edinb. vi. p. 237):--"The eggs seldom, if ever, exceed two in number, and are usually laid in a hollow tree or on the ground. Their average weight is about a pound. They are slightly larger than those of the Turkey-Buzzard, although the latter is a bigger bird. The ground-colour is of a yellowish white, with blotches of dark reddish brown, and smaller markings of a lilac shade. These markings are generally more numerous at the larger end." 313. SARCORHAMPHUS GRYPHUS (Linn.). (GREAT CONDOR.) +Sarcorhamphus gryphus+, _Darwin, Zool. Beagle_, iii. p. 1 (Rio Negro); _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 123; _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 433 (Cordova); _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 40 (Chupat), et 1878, p. 398 (Central Patagonia). _Description._--General plumage glossy black; greater wing-coverts margined with ashy; neck-ruff white; head, neck, and centre of chest bare; head, with a large caruncle, black; throat wattled; chest with a pendent wattle: whole length 38·0 inches, wing 29·0, tail 14·0. _Female_ similar, but without the wattles on the head and neck. _Hab._ Andes of South America, and adjacent ranges in La Plata. Dr. Burmeister tells us that he has seen the Condor in the Sierras of Cordova and Aconquija, though it is more prevalent in the districts of the Western Cordillera. In the territory of Chupat, Durnford met with it at Ninfas Point in November, and tells us that when the colonists are hunting in the neighbourhood of the sea-coast the Condor is the first of the bird-scavengers to make its appearance after game has been killed. During his subsequent excursion to the Sengel river in the interior, the Condor was commonly observed throughout the journey wherever the rocks were high and steep. Several pairs were noticed nesting on Nov. 16th, but the nests could not be reached. My own experience of the Condor is restricted in seeing one individual, flying above the sea-shore, south of the Rio Negro. Order VIII. STEGANOPODES. Fam. XXXIV. PHALACROCORACIDÆ, or CORMORANTS. The only family of the Steganopodes that can at present be inserted in the Argentine list is that of the Cormorants, though doubtless other forms of this Order (_Sula_, _Phaethon_, and _Fregata_) will be hereafter found to occur on the coast with more or less frequency. One Cormorant only has yet been positively determined as occurring within the Argentina area. 314. PHALACROCORAX BRASILIANUS (Gm.).