158 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
morrow. Our host kindly offered to slaughter an old mare as 
bait, and having decided to kill the animal that night, we proceeded 
to rub over the carcase the twenty pounds of salt brought with us 
for that purpose. The object of this is to quicken the digestion of 
the Condor, so that it may not be able to disgorge its meal, which 
it invariably does when disturbed at feeding-time—no doubt to 
diminish its specific gravity and give it a chance of rising more 
speedily from the ground. Having made all necessary arrange- 
ments for the anticipated morrow, we retired to the shady orchard, 
regaling ourselves on the ripe fruit, and about dusk re-entered the 
house for a dance until 10 p.M., when a late dinner was served, the 
ptece de résistance of which was roast kid. Amongst the dishes 
common on the Sierras may be mentioned stewed owls, parrots, 
wheat soup, &c., all of which, if not to taste of the epicure, form 
welcome additions to the carte of the traveller. Thoroughly tired, 
and yet with fevered pulse, we now sought the downy pillow; two 
moments sufficed to woo the fickle god, who prolonged our sleep 
till cockcrow. Springing from our couches at this signal, we 
despatched a peon to reconnoitre, but no condors were yet visible ; 
in fact, this gluttonous vulture, like its human congeners, is a very 
late riser. 
After the despatch of two or three other messengers, we had 
the satisfaction of learning, about 9 a.M., that the Condors were 
arriving. In fact, we had no need of messengers; these Sarco- 
rhampi announced themselves from every quarter of the horizon, 
looming up in successive lines. And now all was hurry and 
confusion, saddling, coiling lassos, &c., for when once the Condors 
make their appearance very little grace is allowed, and less than 
half an hour suffices to leave only the bones of an ox or horse. 
In about ten minutes we were ready to start, our party consisting of 
Don Palemon Carranza, Don Enrique Cooke and myself, with four 
peons all well mounted and armed with lassos and bolas, but badly 
off for fire-arms. The field of battle was not far distant and was 
well-chosen, the bait having been placed on the gentle declivity of 
a grassy hill free from stones, whose summit shielded our approach 
from view. Reaching the brow, we put spurs to our horses and 
and charged right down upon the Condors. Imagine the scene of 
confusion that then ensued at the banquet table, when more than 
fifty magnificent Condors flapped their huge wings and endeavoured 
to rise: I had only just time to throw myself off my horse, when 
