CARANCHO 75 



will readjust itself. But in numbers there is safety, 

 especially for a feeble, hunted species, unable from 

 its peculiar structure to vary its manner of life. To 

 such the remark made by Darwin, that " rarity is 

 the precursor to extinction/' applies with peculiar 

 force. 



CARANCHO OR CARACARA 



Polyborus tharus 



Dark brown with whitish mottlings ; head black ; wings and tail 

 greyish white with greyish brown cross-bars and black tips ; beneath 

 dark brown ; throat and sides of head yellowish white ; beak yellow ; 

 cere orange. Sexes alike. 



THIS bird, which combines the raptorial instincts 

 of the Eagle with the base carrion-feeding habits of 

 the Vulture, has already had so many biographers 

 that it might seem superfluous to speak of it again at 

 any great length ; only it happens to be one of those 

 very versatile species about which there is always 

 something fresh to be said ; and, besides, I do not 

 altogether agree with the very ignoble character 

 usually ascribed to it by travellers. It is, however, 

 probable that it varies greatly in disposition and 

 habits in different districts. In Patagonia I was 

 surprised at its dejected appearance and skulking 

 cowardly manner, so unlike the bird I had been 

 accustomed to see on the pampas. I shot several, 

 and they were all in a miserably poor condition and 

 apparently half-starved. It struck me that in that 



