CARRION BIRDS. 107 



lip her heels the hind legs were dexterously caug-ht, 

 when in a moment the beast was dragged over on 

 one side and firmly moored. Leaving the horses to 

 keep up the strain, — for the lasso is made fast to an 

 iron ring in the saddle— the riders dismounted, and 

 Escalante drawing out a long knife from his belt 

 and renewing the edge upon a steel which he carried 

 in one boot, quickly despatched the beast. A second 

 heifer was afterwards picked out from the herd and 

 caught by the horns ; as the animal, maddened with 

 terror, was gallopped past with the lasso at full 

 strain, I must confess that being a novice I did not 

 feel quite comfortable, and instinctively clutched my 

 gun, not being altogether sure that the lasso might 

 not break, — but, although no thicker than the little 

 finger, it is of immense strength, being made of 

 plaited hide. This beast was secured and butchered 

 pretty much as in the former instance ; the bolas 

 had been thrown at the hind legs, but caught only 

 one, round which the three thongs and balls were so 

 tightly interlaced as to require some patience in 

 extricating them. 



AVhile slaughtering the cattle it was amusing to 

 notice the familiarity of the carrion hawks, hundreds 

 of which were collected about, perched upon the 

 little hillocks all round, watching- every movement 

 of ours, or hovering over-head within the distance 

 of a few yards. They are the Milvago ciustralts, a 

 bird of which the sexes differ so much in appear- 

 ance, that they were pointed out to me as distinct 



