142 THE VULTURE. 



and all, of an Albatross, the large sea-bird which we 

 have already described. 



The natives of South America avail themselves of 

 the gluttonous greediness of this bird to catch it. A 

 dead carcass of a cow or horse is laid out for a bait, 

 011 which they gorge themselves to such a degree 

 that they become quite drowsy and stupid. When 

 in this plight, they are approached by the Indians, 

 who easily throw a noose over them ; on finding 

 themselves prisoners they are usually for a time, 

 sullen and shy; but this is not always the case, as 

 the following story will prove, related by Captain 

 Head, and told to him by one of his attendants, a 

 strong English miner from Cornwall, when exploring 

 the mining districts of South America. 



The man, when riding along the plains, saw several 

 Condors, or largest sized Vultures (described in 

 Table iii., p. 11, under the genus "Fleshy Beaked,") 

 of which the annexed figure 1 represents the head; 

 and guessing that they were attracted by some dead 

 animal, rode up, and found a numerous flock round 

 the carcass of a horse. One of the largest was 

 standing with one foot on the ground, and the other 

 in the horse's body, exhibiting a singular force of 

 muscular power, as he lifted the flesh, and tore off 

 great pieces, sometimes shaking his head, and pull- 

 ing with his beak, or sometimes pushing with his 

 leg. As the man approached, one of them, which 

 appeared to be gorged, rose up, and flew about fifty 

 yards off, when it alighted, and he rode up to it, and 

 then jumping down, seized the bird by the neck. 

 The contest was severe, and never probably was such 

 a battle seen before, as a Cornish miner and a 



