1832-3.] THE CARRANCHA. 67 



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. After 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, 

 grasshoppers, 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 considerable 

 ingenuity. 



The Polyhorus 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 Polyhorus Novce Zelandi<B, 

 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 extra- 

 ordinarily tame and fearless, and haunt the neighbourhood 

 of houses for oflal. If a hunting party kills an animal, a 

 number soon collect and patiently await, standing on the 



