200 THE NATURALIST IX NICARAGUA. [Ch. XL 



supposed that a stranger had come to Comoapa who 

 knew something that he did not. Having skinned my bird 

 and put it out in the sun to dry, I took a stroll through 

 the small town, and found it composed mostly of huts 

 inhabited by Mestizos, with a tumble-down church and a 

 weed-covered plaza. Around some of the houses were 

 planted mango and orange trees, but there was a general 

 air of dilapidation and decay, and not a single sign of 

 industry or progress visible. 



Yelasquez arrived at dusk, having ridden from Liber- 

 tad that day. About a dozen of us slung our hammocks 

 in the small travellers' room, where, when we had all 

 got to rest, we looked like a cluster of great bats 

 hanging from the rafters. No one could get along the 

 room without disturbing everyone else, and the next 

 morning all were early astir ; we got our animals 

 saddled as soon as possible, and set off on our journey. 

 It was a clear and beautiful morning, and a cool breeze 

 from the north-east fanned us as we rode blithely over 



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grassy savannahs and hills. High up in the air soared 

 a couple of large black vultures, floating on the wind, 

 and describing large circles without apparent movement 

 or exertion, scanning from their airy height the country 

 for miles around, on the look out for their carrion food. 

 Like all birds that soar, both over sea and land, when it 

 is calm the vultures are obliged to flap their wings when 

 they fly ; but when a breeze is blowing they are able to 

 use their specific gravity as a fulcrum, by means of which 

 they present their bodies and outstretched wings and 

 tails at various angles to the wind, and literally sail. 

 How often, when becalmed on southern seas, when not a 

 breath of air was stirring and the sails idly flapped 



