281

Chile

1834 September

Fungus on Roble 1065 number on specimen Copied On the hills near Nancagua & S. Fernando there are large woods of Roble or the Chilian oak; I was surprised to find a yellow fungus, very closely resembling the "edible ones" on the Beech of T. del Fuego. Speaking from memory the differences consist in this being rather paler colored, but the inside of the little cups a darker orange. the greatest difference is however in the more irregular shape, in place of the being sphærical one as of T. del Fuego. They are also much larger: many are 3 times as large as the largest of my specimens.— The footstalk appears longer, this is necessary from the roughness of the bark.— In the young state, there is an internal cavity.— The difference of tree & great difference in climate renders it certain that the Fungi must be distinct.— They are occassionally eaten by the poor people.— I observe these Fungi are not infested with Larvæ (so as to render their origin doubtful) as those of T. del Fuego.—

Condor (a) Having an opportunity of seeing very many of these birds in a Garden.— I observe that all the females have bright red eyes; but the male yellowish brown: I however found that a young female (known by dissection, as this was in the Spring the bird must at least be one year old), whose back was brownish & ruff scarcely as yet at all white, has her eyes dark brown.— The young male has also its back & ruff brown.— & the comb simple.— These were fed only once a week.— The Guassos state they can well live 6 weeks without food.— They are caught on Corallitos or when roosting 5 or 6 together in a tree. They

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Shortly before any one of the Condors dies, all the lice which infest it crawl to the outside of the feathers. Ricinus (2153).—

Dogs taught to hunt Condor kill young sheep Called Indian tongue Manque. Molina

282

Chile

1834 October

Condor are very heavy sleepers (as I have seen) & hence a person easily climbs up the tree & lazoes them: They are only taken in winter & Spring; in the summer are said to retire into Andes.— There are so many brought in that a live Condor has been sold for 6d. Common price 2 or 3 dollars.— They are wonderfully ravenous.— One brought in lashed with rope & much injured, & surrounded by people, the instant the line was loosed which secured the beak, began to tear the a piece of Carrion.—

[in margin:] air calm a dog could not fail to have perceived it V. P.210(b)

The condors appear suddenly in numbers, where an animal dies, in the same unaccountable manner in which all Carrion Vultures are well known to do.— Tying a piece of meat in a paper, I passed by a whole row of them within 3 yards & they took no notice. I threw it on the ground within one yard, an old male Condor looked at it & took no further notice: placing it still closer, the Condor touched it with his beak & then tore the paper off with fury.— in an instant the whole row of Condors were jumping & flapping their wings.— I think it is certain a Condor does not smell at a greater distance than a few inches.—

Mem: M. Audubon in Wern: transactions, similar observ:—

V. P. 210(b). For more particulars about Condor V. P. 210(b).— Smelling powers of Hawks discussed, Waterton. Nor 32, Magazine of Nat. Hist:

I believe this from seeing no nests at Port Desire The country people inform me the Condor lays two large white eggs in November or December; they make no nest but place the eggs on any small ledge.— I am assured the young Condors cannot fly for a whole year.(a)  At Concepcion on March 5th I saw a young Condor, it was nearly

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full grown, but covered with a blackish down, precisely like a Gosling.— I am sure this bird would not have been able to fly for many months.— After the young birds can fly apparently as well as the old ones, from what I saw on coast of Patagonia, they appear to remain for some time with their parents. They hunt separately, before the white ring round the neck is changed white.— When at the S. Cruz river in months of April & May, two old birds were generally perched on the ledges or sailing about with a full fledged young bird not white collar. Now I think it certain that this could not have been hatched during the same summer: if so the Condor probably lays only once in two years.— It is rather singular that the name Condor is only applied to the young ones, before the white feathers appear; the old birds being called "El Buitre" the Spanish of "the Vulture".—

The Condors attack young goats & sheep, I have seen dogs trained to chace them away.— It is beautiful to watch several Condors wheeling over any spot. Although you may never take your eyes off any one bird, for a quarter or half hour you can never see the slightest motion of their wings. I believe a Condor will go on flying in curves ascending & descending for any length of time without flapping its wings.— When the bird wishes to descend rapidly, the wings are collapsed for a second.— When soaring close above the beholder no tremulous motion or indistinct appearance can be observed in the separate feathers which terminate the wing.— The head & neck are moved frequently & apparently with force, as a rudder of a ship, but perpendicularly as well as laterally. by the former motion, the whole body seems to alter its inclination with the horizon & by action of contrary current of wind to rise. The bird critically views the ground.—

[in margin:] object of wheeling watching signs for animals & Lions