66 



MALDONADO. 



1832-3. 



till that bird is compelled to vomit up the carrion it may 

 have recently gorged. Lastly, Azara states that several Car- 

 ranchas, live or six together, will unite in chase of large 

 birds, even such as herons. All these facts show that it is a 

 bird of very versatile habits and considerable ingenuity. 



The Polyhorus Chimango is considerably smaller than the 

 last species. It is common on both sides of the continent, 

 but does not appear to extend so far northward as the last 

 species. It is found in Chiloe, and on the coast of Patagonia, 

 and I have seen it in Tierra del Fuego. We have already 

 remarked that it feeds on carrion, in common with the 

 Carrancha. It is generally the last bird which leaves the 

 skeleton ; and may often be seen within the ribs of a cow or 

 horse, like a bird in a cage. The Chimango often fre- 

 quents the sea-coast and the borders of lakes and swamps, 

 where it picks up small fish. It is truly omnivorous, and 

 will eat even bread, when thrown out of a house with other 

 offal : I was also assured that they materially injure the potato 

 crops in Chiloe, by stocking up the roots when first planted. 

 In the same island I myself saw them by scores following 

 the plough, and feeding on the worms and larv8e of insects. I 

 do not believe they ever kill birds or animals. They are more 

 active than the Carranchas, but their flight is heavy ; I never 

 saw one soar ; they are very tame ; are not gregarious ; com- 

 monly perch on stone walls, and not upon trees ; and fre- 

 quently utter a gentle, shrill scream. 



The third species of Polyborus^' is remarkable from the 

 confined localities which it frequents : we met with it only in 

 one valley in Patagonia. The last species which we have to 

 mention is the Polyborus Novcb Zelandia. This bird is ex- 

 ceedingly numerous over the whole of the Falkland Islands, 

 which appear to be its metropolis. I was informed by the 

 sealers, that they are found in the Diego Ramirez rocks and 

 the Ildefonso isles, but never on the mainland of Tierra del 

 Fuego. Nor do they occur on Georgia or the more southern 



* A species allied to " Montanus " of D'Orbigny, but distinct. 



