TOLYBORUS TIIARUS. 87 



they are small and feeble. I am sure that if these four Caranchos had 

 attacked a Glossy Ibis they would have found it an easier conquest ; 

 yet they singled out the Egret, purely, I believe, on account of its 

 shining white conspicuous plumage. 



This wing-contest was a very splendid spectacle, and I was very glad 

 that I had witnessed it, although it ended badly for the poor Egret ; 

 but in another case of a combined attack by Caranchos there was 

 nothing to admire except the intelligence displayed by the birds in 

 combining, and much to cause the mind to revolt against the blindly 

 destructive ferocity exhibited by Nature in the instincts of her creatures. 

 This scene was witnessed by a beloved old Gaucho friend of mine, a 

 born naturalist, who related it to me. It was in summer, and he was 

 riding in a narrow bridle-path on a plain covered with a dense growth 

 of giant thistles, nine or ten feet high, when he noticed some distance 

 ahead several Caranchos hovering over one spot ; and at once con- 

 jectured that some large animal had fallen there, or that a traveller had 

 been thrown from his horse and was lying injured amongst the thistles. 

 On reaching the spot, he found an open space of ground about forty 

 yards in diameter, surrounded by the dense wall of close-growing 

 thistles, and over this place the birds were flying, while several others 

 were stationed near, apparently waiting for something to happen. The 

 attraction was a large male Rhea squatting on the ground, and sheltering 

 with its extended wings a brood of young birds. My friend was not 

 able to count them, but there were not fewer than twenty-five or thirty 

 young birds, small tender things, only a day or so out of the shell. As 

 soon as he rode into the open space of ground, the old Ostrich sprung 

 up, and with lowered head, clattering beak, and broad wings spread out 

 like sails, rushed at him ; his horse was greatly terrified, and tried to 

 plunge into the dense mass of thistles, so that he had the greatest diffi- 

 culty in keeping his seat. Presently the Ostrich left him, and casting 

 his eyes round he was astonished to see that all the young Ostriches 

 were running about, scattered over the ground, while the Caranchns 

 were pursuing, knocking down, and killing them. Meanwhile the old 

 Ostrich was frantically rushing about trying to save them; but 

 the Caranchos, when driven from one bird they were attacking, would 

 merely rise a few yards and drop on the next one a dozen yards off; 

 and as there were about fifteen Caranchos all engaged in the same way, 

 the slaughter was proceeding at a great rate. My friend, who had been 

 vainly struggling to get the better of his horse, was then forced to leave 

 the place, and did not therefore see the end of tl.e tragedy in which he 

 had acted an involuntary part ; but before going he saw that at least 

 half the young birds were dead, and that these were all torn and bleeding 



