14 
ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 
I did not perceive that the species were different ; hence I cannot speak with 
certainty of their range, but it would appear probable that the M. pezoporus 
replaces in Chile, Tierra del Fuego and Southern Patagonia the M. chimango 
of La Plata. In the same manner the M. chimango is replaced between the 
latitudes of Buenos Ayres and Corrientes by a third closely allied species, the 
M. ochrocephalus. D’Orbigny, (p. 614, in the Zoological part of his work) 
speaking of the Chimango, says, “ II n’est pas etonnant qu’on ait long-temps 
confondu cette espece avec le falco degener , Illiger, (the M. ochrocephalus ) et qu’on 
l’ait cru de sa famille. II est impossible de presenter plus de rapports de 
forme et surtout de couleur. Nous les avions, nous-meme confondus au pre- 
mier abord ; mais, en remarquant, ulterieurement, que le sujet que nous re- 
gardions comme le male ne se trouvait qu’a Corrientes, tandis qu’il y avait 
seulement des femelles sur les rives de la Plata, l’etude plus attentive des 
mceurs de ces oiseaux, et les localites respectives qu’habite chacun d’eux, ne 
tarda pas a nous y faire reconnaitre, avec Azara, deux especes vraiment tr&s- 
distinctes ; mais qui, depuis, ont encore ete confondues, sous la meme nom, par 
M. la Prince Maximilien de Neuwied. *” I may observe that the figure given 
in Meyen’s work, has the iris coloured bright red, instead of which it should have 
been brown. 
2. Milvago chimango. 
Polyborus cbimango, Vieill. 
Haliaetus chimango, Less. 
Chimango, Azar. Voyage, vol. iii. p. 35. 
My specimen was obtained at Maldonado, on the banks of the Plata. In the 
following short account of the habits of this bird, it must be understood that 
I have confounded together, the M. chimango and the M. pezoporus ; but I 
am certain that almost every remark is applicable to both species. From what 
has been said under the last head, it may be inferred, that both of these allied 
birds have comparatively limited ranges, compared with that of the P. Brasiliensis . 
Azara says the Chimango (and he first distinguished this species from the 
M. ochrocephalus , or M. chimachima ) is rarely found so far north as Paraguay. 
D’Orbigny saw the Chimango (M. pezoporus ?) at Arica in lat. 16°, and I killed 
the M. pezoporus in the extreme southern point of America, in lat. 55° 30' south. 
The Chimango, in La Plata, lives chiefly on carrion, and generally is the last 
bird of its tribe which leaves the skeleton, and hence it may frequently be seen 
standing within the ribs of a cow or horse, like a bird in a cage. The Chimango 
often frequents 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 
* Tom. iii. p. 162. 
