f t
there seldom attacks cattle or horses, and except in most
rare cases, as a female having young, is never dangerous to
man. In Chile, however, it destroys many young horses
and cattle, owing probably to the scarcity of other quadrupeds
: I heard, likewise, of two men and a woman who
had been killed by them. It is asserted that the puma always
kills its prey by springing on the shoulders, and then drawing
back the head with one of its paws, until the vertebræ
break: I have seen in Patagonia, the skeletons of guanacoes,
with their necks thus dislocated.
The puma, after eating its fill, covers the carcass with
many large bushes, and lies down to watch it. This habit
is often the cause of its being discovered ; for the condors
wheeling in the air, every now and then descend to partake
of the feast, and being angrily driven away, rise all together
on the wing. The Chileno Guaso then knows there is a
lion watching his prey—the word is given—and men and
dogs hurry to the chase. Sir F. Head says that a Gaucho
in the Pampas, upon merely seeing some condors wheeling
in the air, cried “ A lion !” I could never myself meet
with any one who pretended to such powers of discrimination.
It i.s asserted, that if a puma has once been betrayed
by thus watching the carcass, and has then been hunted,
it never resumes this habit ; but that having gorged itself,
it wanders far away.
The puma is easily killed. In an open country, it is first
entangled ivith the bolas, then lazoed, and dragged along the
ground till rendered insensible. At Tandeel (south of the
Plata), I was told, that within three months one hundred
were destroyed. In Chile they are generally driven up
bushes or trees, and are then either shot, or baited to death
by dogs. The dogs employed in this chase belong to a particular
breed, called Leoneros. They are weak, slight animals,
like long-legged terriers, but are born with a particular instinct
for this sport. The puma is described as being very crafty ;
when pursued it often returns on its former track, and then
suddenly making a spring on one side, waits there till the
dog.s have passed by. It is a very silent animal, uttering no
cry even when wounded, and only rarely during the breeding
season.
Of birds, two species of the genus Pteroptochos {megapo-
dius and alhicolUs of Kittlitz) are perhaps the most conspicuous.
The former, called by the Chilenos “ el Turco,” is as
large as a fieldfare, to which bird it has some alliance; but its
legs are much longer, tail shorter, and beak stronger: its colour
is a reddish brown. The turco is not uncommon. It lives on
the ground, sheltered among the thickets which are scattered
over the dry and sterile hills. With its tail erect, and stiltlike
legs, it may be seen every now and then, popping from
one bush to another, with uncommon celerity. It really requires
little imagination to believe the bird is ashamed of
itself, and is aware of its most ridiculous figure. On first
seeing it, one is tempted to exclaim, “ A vilely stuffed
specimen has escaped from some museum, and has come to
life again!” It cannot be made to take flight without the
greatest trouble, nor does it run, but only hops. The various
loud cries which it utters when concealed amongst the
bushes, are as strange as its whole appearance. It is said to
build its nest in a deep hole beneath the ground. I dissected
several specimens : the gizzard, which was very muscular,
contained beetles, vegetable fibres, and pebbles. From this
character, from the length of legs, scratching feet, membranous
covering to the nostrils, short and arched wings, this bird
seems to a certain degree to connect the thrushes with the
gallinaceous order.
The second species (or P t. albkollis) is allied to the first in
its general form. It is called Tapacolo, or “ cover your posterior
and well does the shameless little bird deserve its name ;
for it carries its tail more than erect, that is, inclined backwards
towards its head. It is very common, and frequents
the bottoms of hedge-rows, and the bushes scattered over
the barren hills, where scarcely another bird can exist.
Hence the tapacolo is conspicuous in the ornithology of
Chile. Ill its general manner of feeding, of quickly hopping
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