i88 A VOYAGE TO Book IV. 



tearing up tbe fand, begins breaking the egers, but 

 fo carefully, that icarce a fingle one is injured ; and a 

 whole fwarm of little alligators are leen crawling 

 about. The female then takes them on her neck 

 and back, in order to remove them into the water; 

 but the watchful gallinazos make ufe of this oppor- 

 tunity to deprive her of fome ; and even the male 

 alligator, which indeed comes for no other end, de- 

 vours what he can, till the female has reached the 

 water wilh the few remaining; for all thofe which 

 either fall from her back, or do not fwim, llie herfelf 

 eats ; fo that of fuch a formidable brood, happily not 

 more than four or five tfcape. 



The gallinazos, mentioned in our account of Car- 

 thagena, are the moil inveterate enemies of the alli- 

 gators, or rather extremely fond of their eggs, in 

 finding which they make ule of uncommon addrefs. 

 Thefe birds often make it their whole bufinefs to 

 watch the females during the nimmer, the feafon 

 when they lay their eggs, the fands on the fides of the 

 river not being then covered with water. The galli- 

 nazo perches in fome tree, where it conceals itfelf 

 among the branches, and there filently watches the 

 female alligator, till fhe has laid her eggs and retires, 

 pleated that fhe has concealed them beyond difcovery. 

 But the is no fooner under tbe water, than the galli- 

 nazo darts down on the repofitory, and, with its beak, 

 claws, and wings, tears up the land, and devours the 

 eggs, leaving only the fhells. This banquet would 

 indeed richly reward its long patience, did not a mul- 

 titude of gallinazos, from all parts, join the fortunate 

 difcoverer, and lliare in the fpoil. I have often been 

 entertained with this üratagem of the gallinazos, in 

 pafiing from Guayaquil to the cuflom-houfe of Baba- 

 hoyo ; and my curiofity once led me to take fome of 

 the eggs, which thofe who frequent this river, par- 

 ticularly the Mulattos, make no difficulty of eating, 

 wheq frefh. Here we rauft remark the methods ufed 



by 



