5S A VOYAGE TO Book I. 



thefe birds found in fuch hot climates, is an excellent 

 provifíon of nature, as othcrwife the putrefatlion 

 caufed by the conííant and exceffive heat would render 

 the air infupportable to human life. At firñ they fly 

 heavily, but afterwards dart up out of fight. On the 

 ground they hop along with a kind of torpor, though 

 their legs are ftrong and well proportioned. They 

 have three toes forward turning inwards, and one in 

 the infide, turned a little backwards ; fo that, the feet 

 interfering, tliey cannot walk witli any agility, but are 

 obliged io hop or Ikip. Each toe has a long and 

 thick claw. 



When the gallinazos find no food in the city, their 

 hunger drives them into thecountry, among the beafis 

 in the panares ; and on feeing any one with a fore on 

 the back, they immediately alight on it, and a( lack the 

 part afFcded. It is in vain for the poor beaft to en- 

 deavour to free itfelf from thefe devourers, either by 

 rolling on the ground, or hideous cries ; for they 

 never quit their hold, but with their bills fo widen the 

 wound that the creature foon expires. 



There is another kind of gallinazos, fomewhat 

 larger than thefe, only to be met with in the country. 

 In fome of thefe the head and part of the neck are 

 white, in fome red, and in others a mixture of both 

 thefe colours. A little above the beginning of the 

 crop, they have a ruft' of white feathers. Thefe are 

 equally fierce and carnivorous with the former ; and 

 called the kings of the gallinazos; probably becaufe 

 the number of them is but few-: and it is obferved, that 

 when one of thefe has faftened en a dead beaft, none 

 of the others approach till he has eaten the eyes, with 

 which he generally begins, and is gone to another 

 part, when they all flock to the prey. 



Bats are very common all over the country ; but 

 Carthagena is infefied with fuch multitudes of thera, 



ure feldom above a fortnight in making a Ikeleton of a large 

 whale. A. 



that 



