_i88 A VOYAGE TO Book IV. 



tearing up the fand, begins breaking the eggs^ but 

 fo carefully, that fcarce a finglc one is injured ^ and a 

 whole fwarm of little alligators are feen crawling 

 about. The female then takes them on her neck 

 and back, in order to remove them into the water; 

 but the watchful gallhiazos make ufe of this oppor- 

 tunity to deprive her of fome; and even the male 

 alligator, which indeed comes for no other end, de- 

 vours what he can, till the female has reached , the 

 water with the few remaining ; for all thofe which 

 either fall from her back, or do not fwim, (he herfeif 

 eats ; fo that of fuch a formidable brood, happily not 

 more than four or five efcape. 



The gallinazos, mentioned in our account of Gar- 

 th agena, are the moft inveterate enemies of the alli- 

 gators, or rather extremely fond of their eggs, in 

 finding which, they make ufe of uncommon addrefs. 

 Thefe birds often make it their whole bufinefs to 

 watch the females during the fummer, the feafon 

 when they lay their eggs, the fands on the fides of the 

 river not being then covered with water. The galli- 

 nazo perches in fome tree, where it conceals itfelf among 

 the branches, and there fiiently watches the female al- 

 ligator, till fhe has laid her eggs and retires, pleafed 

 that fhe has concealed them beyond difcovery. But 

 'flie is no fooner under the water, than the gallinazo 

 darts down on the repofitory, and, with its beak, claws, 

 and wings, tears up the fand, and devours the eggs, 

 leaving only the fliells. This banquet would indeed 

 richly reward its long patience, did not a multitude of 

 gallinazos, from all parts, join the fortunate dif- 

 coverer, and (liare in the fpoil. I have often been 

 entertained with this frratagem of the gallinazos, in 

 paffing from Guayaquil to the cufcom-houfe of Baba- 

 hoyo ; and my curioiity once led mx to take fome of 

 the eggs, which thofe who frequent this river, par- 

 ticularly the Mulattoes, make no difficulty of eating, 

 when frefh. Here we mull remark the methods ufed 



by 



