Scientific Reviews. 189 



of the Zoological Society, are written in a very pleasant half scien- 

 tific and half popular style. Besides the necessary particulars re- 

 lative to the zoological characters of the animals, there are given 

 numerous anecdotes, and such accounts of the distribution and 

 habits as might be interesting to the public. As a favourable spe- 

 men of the manner in which the work is conducted, we extract a 

 portion of the description of the condor. 



" The Condor has been observed throughout the whole range of that immense 

 chain of mountains which traverses the continent of South America, from the 

 Straits of Magellan to the seventh degree of north latitude. It appears, however, 

 to be much more common in Peru and Chili than in any other part of the chain, 

 and is most frequently met with at an elevation of from ten to fifteen thousand 

 feet above the level of the ocean. Here, in the regions of perpetual snow, they 

 may be seen grouped together to the number of three or four, but never in the 

 large troops in which the true Vultures sometimes assemble, on the bold points 

 of the jutting rocks, many of the most remarkable of which are designated by 

 the natives with names derived from the bird that haunts their pinnacles. It is 

 only when driven by hunger that it descends into the plains, which it quits as 

 soon as its appetite is satiated, unable, as it would seem, to support for any great 

 length of time the increased weight of the atmosphere and the warmer tempera- 

 ture of the lower world. On such occasions it rarely perches on the branches of 

 the trees, but generally takes up a position on the ground, for resting on which its 

 comparatively straight talons are peculiarly fitted. It is said that the female bird 

 builds no nest, but deposits its eggs upon the bare rock without protection of any 

 kind. These eggs are stated to be perfectly white, and three or four inches in 

 length. The female is also said to remain with her young for a whole year. 



" The habits of the Condor partake of the bold ferocityof the Eagle and of the 

 disgusting filthiness of the Vulture. Although, like the latter, it appears to pre- 

 fer the dead carcase, it frequently makes war upon a living prey ; but the gripe 

 of its talons is not sufficiently firm to enable it to carry off its victim through the 

 air. Two of these birds, acting in concert, will frequently attack a Puma, a 

 Llama, a Calf, or even a full grown Cow. They will pursue the poor animal 

 with unwearied pertinacity, lacerating it incessantly with their beaks and talons, 

 until it falls exhausted with fatigue and loss of blood. Then, having first seized 

 upon his tongue, they proceed to tear out its eyes, and commence their feast with 

 these favourite morsels. The intestines form the second course of their banquet, 

 which is usually continued until the birds have gorged themselves so fully as to 

 render themselves incapable of using their wings in flight. The Indians, who 

 are well acquainted with this effect of their voracity, are in the habit of turning it 

 to account for their amusement in the chase. For this purpose they expose the 

 dead body of a horse or a cow, by which some of the Condors, which are gener- 

 ally hovering in the air in search of food, are speedily attracted. As soon as the 

 birds have glutted themselves on the carcase, the Indians make their appearance 

 armed with the lasso, and the Condors, being unable to escape by flight, are pur- 

 sued and caught by means of these singular weapons with the greatest certainty. 

 This sport is a peculiar favourite in the country, where it is held in a degree of 

 estimation second to that of a bull-fight alone. 



" In tenacity of life the Condor exceeds almost every other bird. M. Hum- 

 boldt relates that, during his stay at Riobamba, he was present at some experi- 

 ments which were made on one by the Indians who had taken it alive. They 

 first strangled it with a lasso and hanged it on a tree, pulling it forcibly by the 

 feet for several minutes ; but scarcely was the lasso removed, when the bird arose 

 and walked about as though nothing had occurred to affect it. It was then shot 

 with three balls discharged from a pistol at less than four paces, all of which en- 

 tered its body, aud wounded it in the neck, chest, and abdomen : it still, how- 

 pver kept its legs. Another ball struck its thigh, and it fell to the ground : this 



