1832-3.] CARRION HAWKS. 41 



numbers, they are not gregarious: for in desert places they may be 

 seen solitary, or more commonly by pairs. 



The Carranchas are said to be very crafty, and to steal great numbers 

 of eggs. They attempt, also, together with the Chimango, to pick off 

 the scabs from the sore backs of horses and mules. The poor animal, 

 on the one hand, with its ears down and its back arched ; and, on the 

 other, the hovering bird, eyeing at the distance of a yard, the disgusting 

 morsel, form a picture, which has been described by Captain Head 

 with its own peculiar spirit and accuracy. These false eagles most 

 rarely kill any living bird or animal ; and their vulture-like, necropha- 

 gous habits are very evident to any one who has fallen asleep on the 

 desolate plains of Patagonia, for when he wakes he will see, on each 

 surrounding hillock, one of these birds patiently watching him with 

 an evil eye ; it is a feature in the landscape of these countries, which 

 will be recognized by every one who has wandered over them. If a 

 party of men go out hunting with dogs and horses, they will be 

 accompanied, during the day, by several of these attendants. Alter 

 feeding, the uncovered craw protrudes ; at such times, and indeed 

 generally, the Carrancha is an inactive, tame, and cowardly bird. Its 

 flight is heavy and slow like that of an English rook. It seldom soars; 

 but I have twice seen one at a great height gliding through the air 

 with much ease. It runs (in contradistinction to hopping), but not 

 quite so quickly as some of its congeners. At times the Carrancha is 

 noisy, but is not generally so : its cry is loud, very harsh and peculiar, 

 and may be likened to the sound of the Spanish guttural g, followed 

 by a rough double r r\ when uttering this cry it elevates its head 

 higher and higher, till at last, with its beak wide open, the crown 

 almost touches the lower part of the back. This fact, which has been 

 doubted, is quite true ; I have seen them several times with their heads 

 backwards in a completely inverted position. To these observations 

 I may add, on the high authority of Azara, that the Carrancha feeds 

 on worms, shells, slugs, grasshopers, and frogs ; that it destroys young 

 lambs by tearing the umbilical cord; and that it pursues the Gallinazo, 

 till that bird is compelled to vomit up the carrion it may have recently 

 gorged. Lastly, Azara states that several Carranchas, five or six 

 together, will unite in chase of large birds, even such as herons. All 

 these facts show that it is a bird of very versatile habits and con- 

 siderable ingenuity. 



The Polyborus Chimango is considerably smaller than the last 

 species. It is truly omnivorous, and will eat even bread ; and I was 

 assured that it materially injures the potato-crops in Chiloe, by stocking 

 up the roots when first planted. Of all the carrion-feeders it is 

 generally the last which leaves the skeleton of a dead animal ; and may 

 often be seen within the ribs of a cow or horse, like a bird in a cage. 

 Another species is the Polyborus Novae Zelandiae, which is exceedingly 

 common in the Falkland Islands. These birds in many respects resemble 

 in their.habits the Carranchas. They live on the flesh of dead_ animals 

 and on marine productions ; and on the Ramirez rocks their whole 

 Sustenance must depend on the sea. They are extraordinarily tame 



