358 A VISIT TO THE COUNTRY. 



surrounded the necks of a part of those brought to me. Those which were without it were 

 smaller birds, most probably of a different species ; for not only was their plumage generally of 

 a lighter color, but brown feathers were also perceptible on every part of the body. The circlet 

 is a distinguishing mark of the true condor. Even the very young birds possess it, though the 

 color is then a light blue-black, differing little from that of the rest of the plumage. Its color, 

 and that of the wing and back feathers, changes With age. Two years elapse before the young 

 leave the nest in search of food for themselves^ a pair which had been in Santiago more than a 

 year still retaining their downy feathers. Males are distinguished by a thick caruncle, which 

 extends over the head as far as the insertion of the bill. Though strong and thick, the latter is 

 small in proportion to the size of the animal. It is nearly straight on top, with rather a down- 

 ward curve of the upper mandible where it enters the cranium, the lower extremity being arched 

 in a form indicative of power. The talons are as short and flat almost as those of the barn-door 

 fowl. With an eye lacking fire, or even animation, half drooping wings, often trailing on the 

 ground when it walks, and a crouching head, one would not fear to attack half a dozen of them, 

 unless at a time when hunger had roused the dormant fiend within. And so, after looking at 

 it carefully, I cannot but think that all the stories about children and sheep being carried away 

 by condors, or men and grown cattle being attacked by them, are wholly fabulous. A bald 

 eagle would comb one of them in " no time," and is, altogether, a much more desperate bird 

 to encounter. One of these days fortune may permit me to learn something of their habits from 

 the vaqueros, who are often in the vicinity of their nests ; but the present visit was too brief 

 to undertake climbing the mountain crags even to wait upon the condor at his home. 



At one time the "Leon" (Felis concolor) was also a troublesome enemy to the haciendado, 

 the hills about Aculeo being then specially infested by them. No species of animals were 

 exempt from their wary, sudden, and ferocious attacks. Ordinarily, the animal is hunted 

 with dogs of a particular breed, called "Leoneros," themselves only courageous when in num- 

 bers. They appear to have a particular antipathy to the prey, and special instinct to follow it, 

 driving the creature to a tree or pinnacle of rock, which they are unable to climb. When she 

 has young to care for, the female will at once make desperate battle with the dogs, and, unless 

 overwhelmed by numbers, will put them to flight, lacerated and bleeding ; but the male always, 

 and the genus generally, are pusillanimously cowardly, and when thus made prisoners are 

 known to weep and fill the air with piteous moans. A lasso drags one from his perch, and he 

 is soon despatched, the fortunate captor conveying the feet to the haciendado to claim a 

 promised reward. As encouragement to the vaqueros and inquilinos to hunt them, most 

 proprietors offer a bonus of a quarter of an ounce ($4.31) for each foot of the captured 

 animal, and if the hunters are from several estates, they may claim fulfilment from their 

 several patrons. Like the panther, the leon springs on his prey from an elevation, where 

 he patiently and silently awaits the proper moment ; then, clinging to the neck, his fangs pen- 

 etrate the life veins of the throat, the muscular power of his fore limbs rendering it almost 

 impossible to shake him off. They prefer attacking horses to horned cattle, and will not assail 

 an ass unless driven to extremity by hunger ; for the last never succumbs without inflicting terri- 

 ble bruises either by placing his head between his legs and rushing against trees or rocks with 

 his adversary, or, failing in this, by rolling on the ground and crushing him under his weight. 

 When his hunger is satisfied, the leon drags the remainder of the carcass to some retired 

 place, carefully covering it with bushes, that it may serve if a fresher supply is not obtained 

 next day, for he loves not stale meat. Incredible stories are 'told of their power to drag car- 

 casses of horses and cattle to hiding-places. The condor, however, scents or sees (which is it, 

 naturalists?) a banquet for himself, though ten leagues away; but as his approach is watched 

 by the vaquero, the Icon's onslaught is discovered, and his hiding-place soon tracked. So 

 effectively have they been persecuted that few now remain, and it was only with difficulty that 

 the specimen described in the report on natural history could be obtained for our collection. 



Annually, during the months of August, September, and October, the herds of cattle are 



