82 BIRDS OF LA PLATA 
It is not often, however, Fat the Carancho ventures 
singly to attack adult and vigorous birds, except 
the Tinamu, the “‘ Partridge’ of South America ; 
they prey by preference on the young and ailing, 
on small lambs and pigs left at a distance by their 
dams; and they also frequently attack and kill 
old and weakly sheep. Where anything is wrong 
with bird or beast they are very quick to detect it, 
and will follow a sportsman to pick up the wounded 
birds, intelligently keeping at a safe distance them- 
selves. I once shot a Flamingo in the grey stage of 
plumage and had some trouble to cross the stream, 
on the opposite side of which the bird, wounded 
very slightly, was rapidly stalking away. In three or 
four minutes I was over and found my Flamingo 
endeavouring to defend itself against the assaults of 
a Carancho which had marked it for its own, and 
was striking it on the neck and breast in the most 
vigorous and determined way, sometimes from above, 
at other times alighting on the ground before it and 
springing up to strike like a game-cock. A spot of 
blood on the plumage of the wounded bird, which 
had only one wing slightly damaged, had been 
sufficient to call down the attack ; for to the Carancho 
a spot of blood, a drooping wing, or any irregularity 
in the gait, quickly tells its tale. 
When several of these birds combine they are very 
bold. A friend told me that while voyaging on the 
Parana river a Black-necked Swan flew past him 
hotly pursued by three Caranchos; and I also wit- 
nessed an attack by four birds on a widely different 
