CONDOR. 
37 
for such rapine is not to be doubted, but their natural 
cowardice forbids the attempt. At the same time, it is 
not uncommon to see them follow and hover around a 
young bull until they have torn out his eyes and tongue. 
A pair of Condors will not only in this way attack the 
Deer of the Andes, the Puma or American Lion (our 
Panther), the Vicogne, and the Lama (or American 
Camel), but also the Wild Heifer. They will pursue it 
for a long time, occasionally wounding it with their bill 
and claws, until the unfortunate animal, now stifled and 
overcome with fatigue, extends its tongue and groans ; 
on which occasion the Condor seizes this member, being 
a very tender and favorite morsel, and tears out the eyes 
of his prey, which at length falls prostrate to the earth 
and slowly expires. The Condor then gorges himself, 
and rests in stupidity, and almost gluttonous inebriation, 
perched upon the highest neighbouring rocks. The for- 
midable hunter now loaded with his meal, may be driven 
about without his attempting to fly ; and in this state the 
Indians sometimes pursue them with the lasso or noose, 
and easily take them captive. Thus restrained, the Con- 
dor makes extraordinary efforts to rise into the air ; but 
fatigued by the attempt, he begins to disgorge himself 
freely, an effort he appears to assist by lengthening and 
shortening the neck, and bringing forward the sheath of 
his beak. They will approach dwellings when allured 
by the scent of food ; and a dead animal will draw down 
a crowd of these gluttons, where none at the time are at 
all visible ; they tear and eat with the greatest voracity, 
pushing sometimes with their feet, and flapping their 
wings. 
They make no nest, but deposit their eggs upon the 
naked rock ; these are wholly white, and 3 or 4 inches 
in length. It is said that the female remains with her 
4 
