Aspects of the Valley. 53 
innumerable black vultures (Cathartes atratus) were 
perched, waiting all the dreary day long for fair 
weather to fly abroad in search of food. 
On the ground this vulture does not appear to 
advantage, especially when bobbing and jumping 
about, performing the ‘‘ buzzard lope,” when quar- 
relling with his fellows over a carcase: but when 
perched aloft, his small naked rugous head and neck 
and horny curved beak seen well-defined above the 
broad black surface of the folded wing, he does 
not show badly. As I had no wish to make a bag 
of vultures and saw nothing else, I shot nothing. 
A little past noon on the second day we saddled 
our horses and started on our homeward ride; and 
although the wind still blew a gale, lashing the 
river into a long line of foam on the opposite shore, 
and bringing storms of rain and sleet at inter- 
vals, this proved a very delightful ride, one that 
shines in memory above all other rides I have 
taken. We went at a swift gallop along the north 
bank, and never had grey Patagonia looked more 
soberly and sadly grey than on this afternoon. The 
soil, except in places where the winter grass had 
spread over it, had taken a darker brown colour 
from the rain it had imbibed, and the bosky uplands 
a deeper grey than ever, while the whole vast sky 
was stormy and dark. But after a time the west- 
ering sun began to shine through the rifts behind us, 
while before us on the wild flying clouds appeared 
a rainbow with hues so vivid that we shouted 
aloud with joy at the sight of such loveliness. 
