The Desert Pampas. 27 
commanding stature gives it a wide horizon; and 
its dim, pale, bluish-grey colour assimilates to that 
of the haze, and renders it invisible at even a mode- 
rate distance. Its large form fades out of sight 
mysteriously, and the hunter strains his eyes in vain 
to distinguish it on the blue’expanse. Its figure 
and carriage have a quaint majestic grace, somewhat 
unavian in character, and peculiar to itself. There 
are few more strangely fascinating sights in nature 
than that of the old black-necked cock bird, stand- 
ing with raised agitated wings among the tall plumed 
grasses, and calling together his scattered hens 
with hollow boomings and long mysterious suspira- 
tions, as if a wind blowing high up in the void sky 
had found a voice. Rhea-hunting with the bolas, 
on a horse possessing both speed and endurance, 
and trained to follow the bird in all his quick 
doublings, is unquestionably one of the most fasci- 
nating forms of sport ever invented by man. The 
quarry has even more than that fair chance of 
escape, without which all sport degenerates into 
mere butchery, unworthy of rational beings ; more- 
over, in this unique method of hunting the ostrich 
the capture depends on a preparedness for all the 
shifts and sudden changes of course practised by 
the bird when closely followed, which is like instinct 
or intuition; and, finally, in a dexterity in casting 
the bolas at the right moment, with a certain aim, 
which no amount of practice can give to those who 
are not to the manner born. 
This ‘ wild mirth of the desert,’ which the gaucho 
has known for the last three centuries, is now pass- 
ing away, for the rhea’s fleetness can no longer 
