220 PATAGONIA. April, 1834. 



nest, but in the months of November and December lays 

 two large white eggs on a shelf of bare rock. On the Pata- 

 gonian coast I could not see any sort of nest among the cliffs, 

 where the young ones were standing. It is said the young 

 condors cannot fly for an entire year. At Concepcion, on 

 the fifth of March (corresponding to our September), I 

 saw a young bird, which, though in size little inferior to 

 an old one, was completely covered by down like that of a 

 gosling, but of a blackish colour. I feel sure this bird could 

 not have used its wings for flight for many months. After 

 the period when the young condors can fly, and apparently 

 as well as the old birds, they yet remain both roosting 

 at night on the same ledge, and hunting by day with their 

 parents. Before, however, the young bird has the ruft' 

 round its neck turned white, it may often be seen hunting 

 by itself. At the mouth of the St, Cruz, during part of April 

 and May, a pair of old birds might be seen every day either 

 perched on a certain ledge, or sailing about in company with 

 a single young one, which latter though full fledged, had not 

 its ruff white. I should think, especially when recollecting 

 the state in which the Concepcion bird was on the previous 

 month, that this young condor had not been hatched from 

 an egg of that summer. As there were no other young 

 birds, it seems probable that the condor only lays once in 

 two years. 



These birds generally live by pairs ; but among the in- 

 land basaltic cliffs of the St. Cruz, T found a spot, where 

 scores most usually haunt. On coming suddenly to the 

 brow of the precipice, it was a fine sight to see between 

 twenty and thirty of these great birds start heavily from 

 their resting-place, and wheel away in majestic circles. 

 From the quantity of dung on the rocks, they must long- 

 have frequented this cliff, and probably they both roost and 

 breed there. Having gorged themselves with carrion on the 

 plains below, they retire to these favourite ledges, to digest 

 their food. From these facts, the condor must to a certain 



