The royal commentaries of Peru : in two parts / written originally in spanish by the Inca Garcilasso de la Vega; rendred into english by sir Paul Rycaut.

Royal Commentaries.,, Bi~ds which are black, c:ilfed by the Jndian1 Fuyur.tu, .and by the Spaniar-ds Ga!Íina- z.a ; rhey are greac devourers·of Fleíh, and fo ravenous, that H' they find any car- rion de:id in the Fields, they gorge rhemfelves with ~t to füch a 1~gr~e, that th~y are notable to Ay; and when they find themfelves 10 chat rnndmon purfued by Men, they run away on rheir legs, helping their flight.with the fluttering of their Wings, vomiring up ali rheir mear as they run ; that it ís pleafant to obfei:ve how rhey fpue up th~ir prey with che fame eagernefs as that with which they devoureJ it: Howfoever, if they are hardly purfued, tbey rnay be takeo and killed; butMea forbear to deíl:roy them, coníidering rhat they are not good for mear ; and being a íilly Bird, doth' no hurr, but onely ferves ro devour carrion, ahd cleanfe the fheets <tnd way~ from filthinefs. · Acofta is of an opinion that it is a fort of Crow.. There is afort of Sea-Birds which refemble thefe; fuch as che Spaniards ca:U .Alca- mw, ( in Engliíh Sea-Mews) they' are lefs than Bufiards; they )ive upon Fiíh , and it is pleafant co fee how rhey takethem. At certain hours of che Morning · or Eyening, when the Fiíh ufually play ,and rife upon the furface of the warei:, whkh are che rimes alfo that thefe Birds are moíl: bungry ; ·they raife rbemíelves high u pon the Wirig, from whence obferving where che Fiíh move, they clap their Wings clofe, and fall with fuch a foop, nke aHawk, rhar they never mifs of their prey; and fornetimes dive with íuch·agilicy under water, following the ilioals of Fil11, ihat they arif({again with their prey croílfd_ in their beak ~ ·and then moun· ting in the Air, devour the Fiíh,. .ami then rry 'for otbers. Ié is very pleafant to fee them íl:oop, and g ive blows':llpori the wat~r; ruid dive into ir 1 others to be. at the fam~ tim. e~n-tb~ A.ir, wacching théiroppor~ty; others havingmiíredtheir fü:oke_, co nfe' ag:im: f o fho rt? to fee at che fume tune · zbo Hawks íl:ooplng, andmoun- ting, like the Hammers of an Iron.Mill. Befides·i thefe, tbere'<lfe floi:ks 'of Sea., birds of a leíTer fott.; howfoever, fome ar.e greater, and fome are lefS ;time in füch incredihle nurnbers, that they will fometimes cover the Sea-of Zur for two or th.ree Leagues in length, and flv fo c.\oíe cogerher, thac for fuch a compafs they é'ven darken the Sky : And hereby wem:y admire t~e'Pr.ovidence of die Eternf.\l Ma- jeíl:y, who hairh created fuch .a mulrimde of Creamres, and theréwith a ftlffident proviíion-of Fiíh, wherewith to fupporr and mainrain the1m And thus much for Sea-fowl. - Now as to Water-fow.1 which belong to Riwers and Lake.s in Peru, they are in great numbers; foch <asHerons, Wild-duoks, aod Bran-gleefe, and thofe which we ca!l :Shovders ; hefide$ many ochers of a differemr kind, :which we cannor exaétly -defcribe, by reafon that we have nbt obferved their variety with due attehtion ,; They have alfo .Swans ~vbich live .upon Fiíh, and are very white, without any mixtur.e of black ; rhey have long legs, very beautifull, and go always in ::ouples, -or pairs, bue are in no great number. " C H A P. 335