CONDOR. 37 



for such rapine is not to be doubted, but their natural 

 cowardice forbids the attempt. At the same time, it is 

 not uncommon to see them follow and hover around a 

 young bull until they have torn out his eyes and tongue. 

 A pair of Condors will not only in this way attack the 

 Deer of the Andes, the Puma or American Lion (our 

 Panther), the Vicogne, and the Lama (or American 

 Camel), but also the Wild Heifer. They will pursue it 

 for a long time, occasionally wounding it with their bill 

 and claws, until the unfortunate animal, now stifled and 

 ovisrcome with fatigue, extends its tongue and groans ; 

 on which occasion the Condor seizes this member, being 

 a very tender and favorite morsel, and tears out the eyes 

 of his prey, which at length falls prostrate to the earth 

 and slowly expires. The Condor then gorges himself, 

 and rests in stupidity, and almost gluttonous inebriation, 

 perched upon the highest neighbouring rocks. The for- 

 midable hunter now loaded with his meal, may be driven 

 about without his attempting to fly ; and in this state the 

 Indians sometimes pursue them with the lasso or noose, 

 and easily take them captive. Thus restrained, the Con- 

 dor makes extraordinary efforts to rise into the air ; but 

 fatigued by the attempt, he begins to disgorge himself 

 freely, an effort he appears to assist by lengthening and 

 shortening the neck, and bringing forward the sheath of 

 his beak. They will approach dwellings when allured 

 by the scent of food ; and a dead animal will draw down 

 a crowd of these gluttons, where none at the time are at 

 all visible ; they tear and eat with the greatest voracity, 

 pushing sometimes with their feet, and flapping their 

 wings. 



They make no nest, but deposit their' eggs upon the 

 naked rock ; these are wholly white, and 3 or 4 inches 

 in length. It is said that the female remains with her 

 4 



