68 HISTORY OF 



They were greatly surprised when they beheld its magnitude ; 

 for when the wings were extended, they meastir'-d thirteen feet 

 from one tip to the other. One of the quills was two feet four 

 inches long ; and the barrel or hollow part, was six inches and 

 three quarters, and an inch and a half in circumference. 



We have a still more circumstantial account of this amazing 

 bird, by P. Feuille, the only traveller who has accurately de- 

 scribed it : " In the valley of Ilo, in Peru, I discovered a con- 

 dor perched on a high rock before me : I approached within 

 gun-shot, and fired ; but as my piece was only charged with 

 swan-shot, the lead was not able sufficiently to pierce the bird's 

 feathers. I perceived however, by its manner of flying, that it 

 was wounded ; and it was with a good deal of dilficulty that it 

 flew to another rock, about five hundred yards distant on the 

 sea-shore. I therefore charged again with ball, and hit the 

 bird under the throat, which made it mine. I accordingly ran 

 up to seize it ; but even in death it was terrible, and defended 

 itself upon its back with its claws extended against me, so that 



canna, and the guanaco. They will even attack a heifer. They pursue it 

 for a long time, wounding it with their beak and talons, until the animal, 

 breathless and overwhelmed with fatigue, thrusts out its tongue bellowing. 

 The condor then seizes the tongue, a morsel to which it is much attached. 

 It also tears out tlie eyes of its victim, which sinks to the earth, and 

 slowly expires. In the province of Quito, the mischief done to cattle, but 

 more especially to sheep and cows by tliis formidable bird, is immense. In 

 the savannahs of Antisana, 2101 toises above the level of the sea, bulls are 

 constantly found which have been wounded in the back by condors. 



The condor appears to have more tenacity of life than any other bird of 

 prey. M. de Humboldt was present at certain experiments ou the life of a 

 condor at Riobamba. They first attempted to strangle it with a noose. They 

 hung it to a tree, and dragged the legs with great force for many minutes : 

 but scarcely was the noose removed, than the condor began to walk about 

 as if nothing had been the matter. Three pistol-balls were then discharged 

 at him within less than tour paces distance. They all entered the body. He 

 was wounded in the neck, chest, and belly, but still remained on his feet. , 

 A fifth ball struck against the femur, and rebounding, fell back on the 

 ground. This ball was for a long time preserved by M. Bonpland. The 

 condor did not die for half an hour after of the numerous wounds which it 

 had received. UUoa informs us, that in the cold region of Peru the condor 

 is closely furnished with feathers, that eight or ten balls may strike against 

 his body, without one piercing it. 



It is worthy of observation that the condor prefers carcasses to living 

 animals. It subsists, however, on both, and seems to pursue small birda 

 ets than quadrupeds. 



