THE CONDOR. 87 



It is supposed that the great bird called the 

 Rock, described by Arabian writers, and so much 

 exaggerated by fable, is but a species of the con- 

 dor. The great bird of Tarnassar, in the East 

 Indies, that is larger than the eagle, as well as 

 the vulture of Senegal that carries off children, 

 are probably no other than the bird we have been 

 describing. Russia, Lapland, and even Switzer- 

 land and Germany, are said to have known this 

 animal. A bird of this kind was shot in France, 

 that weighed eighteen pounds, and was said to be 

 eighteen feet across the wings : however, one of 

 the quills was described only as being larger than 

 that of a swan, so that probably the breadth of 

 the wings may have been exaggerated, since a 

 bird so large would have the quills more than 

 twice as big as those of a swan. However this 

 be, we are not to regret that it is scarcely ever 

 seen in Europe, as it appears to be one of the 

 most formidable enemies of mankind. In the 

 deserts of Pachomac, where it is chiefly seen, men 

 seldom venture to travel. Those wild regions are 

 very sufficient of themselves to inspire a secret 

 horror ; broken precipices prowling panthers 

 forests only vocal with the hissing of serpents 

 and mountains rendered still more terrible by the 

 condor, the only bird that ventures to make its 

 residence in those deserted situations. 



