182 CLASS AVES. 



appear to have been a young female condor. This also came 

 from the Straits of Magellan ; but it is remarkable that all the 

 other very large specimens have been from Chili, or the most 

 southern part of Peru. M, de Humboldt queries if there be a 

 larger race of condors in the cold or temperate climates than 

 in the torrid zone ? The temperature of the lower regions of 

 the air must, however, be a matter of indifference to a bird 

 which can chuse its climate at will, in the various elevations of 

 the Andes. But it is probable, that the proportion of food, 

 and other local circumstances, may be influential on the deve- 

 lopment of its organisation. It is impossible to indicate, with 

 any certainty, the causes which determine what naturalists have 

 thought proper to designate by the vague denomination of the 

 (Ustribution of races. 



The condor advances to the east in the mountains of Santa- 

 Cruz, of the Sierra, and of Cochabamba. As these peaks 

 seem to join those of Mattagrosso, it is possible that the bird 

 may exist in Brazil. But the group of mountains called 

 Cerro do Frio and Cerro das Emeraldas appear not to be 

 sufficiently elevated or sufficiently cold for the habitation of the 

 condor. 



It appears very doubtful that the condor has ever been 

 transported alive into Europe. A bird was exhibited in London 

 some years ago under this name, but it was uniformly brown, 

 and without the white on the wings which distinguishes the 

 true condor. It was said not to be young, and therefore the 

 less likely to differ from the common condor in the mere 

 evanescent peculiarities of age and sex. In fact, it would not 

 be a very easy matter to bring a bird like the condor to Europe. 

 It might, however, be brought by four different routes, — by 

 Cape Horn, the isthmus of Panama, down the river of the 

 Amazons, or the Madeleina. The first would be the best Avay, 

 according to M. de Humboldt ; because, though the animal 

 suffers captivity very well, it is probable that its stay in 

 \ery hot countries, and subjection to great barometrical pres- 



