InourcoursedowntheParana，Iobservedonlythreeotherbirds，whosehabitsareworthmentioning。OneisasmallkingfisherCeryleAmericana；
ithasalongertailthantheEuropeanspecies，andhencedoesnotsitinsostiffanduprightaposition。Itsflightalso，insteadofbeingdirectandrapid，likethecourseofanarrow，isweakandundulatory，asamongthesoft-billedbirds。Ituttersalownote，liketheclickingtogetheroftwosmallstones。AsmallgreenparrotConurusmurinus，withagreybreast，appearstopreferthetalltreesontheislandstoanyothersituationforitsbuilding-place。Anumberofnestsareplacedsoclosetogetherastoformonegreatmassofsticks。Theseparrotsalwaysliveinflocks，andcommitgreatravagesonthecorn-fields。Iwastold，thatnearColonia2500werekilledinthecourseofoneyear。Abirdwithaforkedtail，terminatedbytwolongfeathersTyrannussavana，andnamedbytheSpaniardsscissor-tail，isverycommonnearBuenosAyres：itcommonlysitsonabranchofthe_ombu_tree，nearahouse，andthencetakesashortflightinpursuitofinsects，andreturnstothesamespot。Whenonthewingitpresentsinitsmannerofflightandgeneralappearanceacaricature-likenessofthecommonswallow。Ithasthepowerofturningveryshortlyintheair，andinsodoingopensandshutsitstail，sometimesinahorizontalorlateralandsometimesinaverticaldirection，justlikeapairofscissors。
October16th——SomeleaguesbelowRozario，thewesternshoreoftheParanaisboundedbyperpendicularcliffs，whichextendinalonglinetobelowSanNicolas；henceitmoreresemblesasea-coastthanthatofafresh-waterriver。ItisagreatdrawbacktothesceneryoftheParana，that，fromthesoftnatureofitsbanks，thewaterisverymuddy。TheUruguay，flowingthroughagraniticcountry，ismuchclearer；andwherethetwochannelsuniteattheheadofthePlata，thewatersmayforalongdistancebedistinguishedbytheirblackandredcolours。Intheevening，thewindbeingnotquitefair，asusualweimmediatelymoored，andthenextday，asitblewratherfreshly，thoughwithafavouringcurrent，themasterwasmuchtooindolenttothinkofstarting。AtBajada，hewasdescribedtomeas“hombremuyaflicto“——amanalwaysmiserabletogeton；butcertainlyheborealldelayswithadmirableresignation。HewasanoldSpaniard，andhadbeenmanyyearsinthiscountry。HeprofessedagreatlikingtotheEnglish，butstoutlymaintainedthatthebattleofTrafalgarwasmerelywonbytheSpanishcaptainshavingbeenallboughtover；andthattheonlyreallygallantactiononeithersidewasperformedbytheSpanishadmiral。Itstruckmeasrathercharacteristic，thatthismanshouldpreferhiscountrymenbeingthoughttheworstoftraitors，ratherthanunskilfulorcowardly。
18thand19th——Wecontinuedslowlytosaildownthenoblestream：
thecurrenthelpedusbutlittle。Wemet，duringourdescent，veryfewvessels。Oneofthebestgiftsofnature，insograndachannelofcommunication，seemsherewilfullythrownaway——ariverinwhichshipsmightnavigatefromatemperatecountry，assurprisinglyabundantincertainproductionsasdestituteofothers，toanotherpossessingatropicalclimate，andasoilwhich，accordingtothebestofjudges，M。Bonpland，isperhapsunequalledinfertilityinanypartoftheworld。HowdifferentwouldhavebeentheaspectofthisriverifEnglishcolonistshadbygoodfortunefirstsailedupthePlata！Whatnobletownswouldnowhaveoccupieditsshores！TillthedeathofFrancia，theDictatorofParaguay，thesetwocountriesmustremaindistinct，asifplacedonoppositesidesoftheglobe。Andwhentheoldbloody-mindedtyrantisgonetohislongaccount，Paraguaywillbetornbyrevolutions，violentinproportiontothepreviousunnaturalcalm。Thatcountrywillhavetolearn，likeeveryotherSouthAmericanstate，thatarepubliccannotsucceedtillitcontainsacertainbodyofmenimbuedwiththeprinciplesofjusticeandhonour。