HAP.H 



68 A PECULIAR BIRD. [chap. 



ground on all sides. After eating, their uncovered crawS 

 are largely protruded, giving them a disgusting appearance. 

 They readily attack wounded birds : a cormorant in this 

 state having taken to the shore, was immediately seized on 

 by several, and its death hastened by their blows. The 

 Beagle was at the Falklands only during the summer, but 

 the officers of the Adventure^ who were there in the winter, 

 mention many extraordinary instances of the boldness and 

 rapacity of these birds. They actually pounced on a dog 

 that was lying fast asleep close by one of the party ; and the 

 sportsmen had difficulty in preventing the wounded geese 

 from being seized before their eyes. It is said that several 

 together (in this respect resembling the Carranchas) wait at 

 the mouth of a rabbit-hole, and together seize on the animal 

 when it comes out. They were constantly flying on board 

 the vessel when in the harbour ; and it was necessary to 

 keep a good lookout to prevent the leather being torn from 

 the rigging, and the meat or game from the stern. These 

 birds are very mischievous and inquisitive ; they will pick 

 up almost anything from the ground ; a large black glazed 

 hat was carried nearly a mile, as was a pair of the heavy 

 balls used in catching cattle. Mr. Usborne experienced 

 during the survey a more severe loss, in their stealing a 

 small Kater's compass in a red morocco leather case, which 

 was never recovered. These birds are, moreover, quarrel- 

 some and very passionate ; tearing up the grass with their 

 bills from rage. They are not truly gregarious; they do 

 not soar, and their flight is heavy and clumsy ; on the 

 ground they run extremely fast, very much like pheasants. 

 They are noisy, uttering several harsh cries ; one of which 

 is like that of the English rook ; hence the sealers always 

 call them rooks. It is a curious circumstance that, when 

 crying out, they throw there heads upwards and backwards, 

 after the same manner as the Carrancha. They build in 

 the rocky cliffs of the sea-coast, but only on the small 

 adjoining islets, and not on the two main islands : this is a 

 singular precaution in so tame and fearless a bird. The 

 sealers say that the flesh of these birds, when cooked, is 

 quite white, and very good eating ; but bold must the man 

 be who attempts such a meal. 



We have now only to mention the turkey-buzzard ( Vultur 

 aura)y and the Gallinazo. The former is found wherever 

 the country is moderately damp, from Cape Horn to North 

 America. Differently from the Polyhorus Brasilensis and 



