t i l l ' l\(,
Aug. IS.!.!,
iuH\'i\isos and clophants t of Sdiillu'iii
■VtVioa.
.U'tor our long digvossion. if wo roturu to (ho caso ol llio
fossil animals at Uahia Hlanoa, tlioro is a dilHoully from our
not kttowing on what food tin- groaf I'ldonfafa jmihalily
livod. If on insoots and larva', liko (hoir noarosf ro-
prosontativos tho avmaililloos and antoafors, flioro is an
ond to all oonjooturo. But as vogotafiou is the first souroo
of lifo in ovory part of tho world, I think wo may safoly
oouolude that tho oouittry around Bahia Blanca, with a very
little iuoroase of fertility, would support largo animals. The
plains of tho Rio Xogro, thickly scattered over with thorny
bushes. 1 do not doubt would supply sufficient food equally
well with the Karros of Africa. As there is evidence of a
physical change to a small amount, so may we allow it to be
probable that the productiveness of the soil has decreased in
an equaUv small degree. AVith this concession I apprehend
every difficulty is removed. On the other hand, if we imagine
a luxuriant vegetation to be necessary for the support of
these animals, we become involved in a series of contradictions
and improbabilities.
As the notices of the remains of several quadrupeds, which
I discovered in South America, are scattered in different
parts of this volume, I will here give a catalogue of them.
After having enlarged on the diminutive size of the present
races, it may be of interest to see that formerly a very
different order of things prevailed. First, the megatherium,
and the four or five other large edentata, already
alluded to; 6th, an immense mastodon, which must have
abounded over the whole country; 7th, the horse (I do not
now refer to the broken tooth at Bahia Blanca, but to more
certain evidence); 8th, the toxodon, an extraordinary animal
as large as a hippopotamus ; 9th, a fragment of the head of
an animal larger than a horse, and of a very singular character;
:Oth, 11th, and 12th, parts of rodents—one of con-
sideraWe siz e ; lastly, a llama or guanaco, fully as large a,s
tJie camel. All these animals coexisted during an cpoeli
w h i c h , g e o l o g i c a l l y s p e a k i n g i s .so r e c e n t , t h a t i t m a y b e
c o n s i d e r e d a s o n l y j u s t g o n e b y . T 'h e s e r e m a i n s h a v e b e e n
|) r e . s e i i t e d t o t h e ( l o l l c g e o f S u r g e o n s , w h e r e t h e y a r e n o w
ill t h e h a n d s o f t h o s e b e s t q u a l i f i e d t o a p p r e c i a t e w h a t e v e r
v a l u e t h e y m a y p o s s e s s .
i will now give an account of the habits of some of the
more interesting birds, which are common on these wild
plains ; and first of the Struthio Rhea, or South Arnerirran
ostrich. This liird is well kiiowTi to abound over the plain.s
of Northern Patagonia, and the united provinces of La
Plata. It has not crossed the Cordillera; but I have .seen it
within the first range of mountains on the Uspallata plain,
elevated between six and sev'en thousand feet. Tlie ordinary
habits of the ostrich are familiar to every one. Tfiey
feed on vegetable matter; such as roots and grass; but at
Bahia Blanca, I have repeatedly seen three or four come
down at low water to the extensive mud-banks which are
then dry, for the sake, as the Gauchos say, of catching small
fish. Although the ostrich in its habits is so shy, wary, and
solitary, and although so fleet in its pace, it falls a prey,
without much difficulty, to the Indian or Gaucho armed with
the bolas. AVhen several horsemen appear in a semicircle,
it becomes confounded, and does not know which way to
escape. They generally prefer running against the wind;
yet at the first start they expand their wings, and like a vessel
make all sail. On one fine hot day I saw several ostriches enter
a bed of tall rushes, where they squatted concealed, tiU quite
closely approached. It is not generally known that ostriches
readily take to the water. Mr. King informs me that at the
Bay of San Bias, and at Port A'aldes in Patagonia, he saw
these birds swimming several times from island to island.
They ran into the water both when driven dowm to a poinr,
and likewise of their own accord when not frightened ; the
distance crossed was about 200 yards. AA'hen swimming, verv
little of their bodies appear above water, and their necks are
extended a little forward: their progress is slow. On two
occasions. 1 saw some ostriches swimming across the Santa
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