78 



ovalle's historical relation of chile. 



make is moft regular, with great correfpondency to each other, as if they were fixed 

 in the air, and immoveable, fo equal and well-concerted is their flight. 



There is likewife a bird which we call Taltales, or Galinafos ; it is like a duck, 

 but has bigger wings ; they are either black or brown, and very voracious of carrion. 

 In the time of flaughtering, which is every year in Chile of moft beafts, there is a 

 great deal of flefh loft ; then thefe birds come, as if one had founded a charge to them, 

 and fall upon the carrion with fo much greedinefs; that having eaten their fill, they 

 cannot rife again, and are eafily knocked on the head with fticks ; the bones of their 

 legs are valued to make fciffars, and their quills, which are as thick as one's finger, 

 ferve for harpficals, and other curiofities. Out of this flaughtering-time they die with 

 hunger ; but among all the ways they have of maintaining themfelves, their way of 

 hunting young goats and lambs is admirable: they fit upon high trees, and from 

 thence they fpy the flocks of ftieep and goats, watching till any of the young ones 

 ftray from the guard of its dam, as they often do, either ftaying behind to feed, or 

 climbing fome rock : this the Taltale quickly feeing, and that the young-one is far from 

 the defence either of the fliepherd or old-one, it leaps upon it, and the firft thing 

 it does, is to peck out its eyes, and eat its brains ; which it does fo quick, that though 

 it cry, and the fliepherd or mother comes to its relief, it is too late. Very like to 

 thefe are another fort of bird, both as to bignefs, colour and fliape, and its difpofition 

 to prey ; they call them Peuques, only they are fomething lefs, and of a nicer diet, 

 being pleafed with nothing but hens or chickens, which they take very dexteroufly ; 

 they are fo bold and nimble, as to get into a hen-rooft, and carry away their prey, 

 even in prefence of the owners, without being ftopped or prevented. 



CHAP. XIX. — The fame matter is purfued, and the flying of Hawks treated- of. 



AMONGST the great number of birds which are bred in the lakes and ponds, 

 and on the fea-fide, which are of great variety, none are more remarkable than the 

 birds called Flamencos ; they are white and fcarlet, bigger than turkeys, but fo long- 

 legged that they walk through a lake with great gravity, the water not touching their 

 feathers by a foot or two : the Indians delight in making works of their white and 

 fcarlet feathers, for their dances and their feafts. 



There is another bird, called the Child-bird, becaufe it looks like a fwaddled child 

 with its arms at liberty : I have not feen them any where but at fea : perhaps they 

 are the feme, called Penguins, of whi(ih frequent mention is made by thofe who pafs 

 the ftraights of Magellan : they are generally painted in the maps ; and they fay, 

 there are abundance of them in thofe parts, and that they are good meat. 



There are other birds which furnifli the tufts of feathers, called Herons-feathers, 

 which though fo narrow, yet are fo valued, that formerly every feather was worth 

 two rials : thofe which grow under their wings are larger and better, though thofe 

 on their heads, which they wear as aigrettes, are very fine. There are but few of 

 this kind of birds ; for they do not increafe fo much as others. There are more of 

 that kind called Garcolas, which ferve for foldiers' feathers, and other ornaments. 

 There are many others of great variety of colours, of which the Indians ufe to make 

 their ornaments, called Mallengues, which are made for the head like a garland of 

 moft fine colours of wool, and in that they ftick a plume of feathers, for their dances 

 and days of rejoicing. 



The 



