agant that we should refuse to admit their possibility.

Ludolf will furnish him with corroborative evidence, that of Padre
Bolivar, a Jesuit, as communicated to Thevenot; the assigned position will
suit well enough with Marco's report: "The bird condor differs in size in
different parts of the world. The greater species was seen by many of the
Portuguese in their expedition against the Kingdoms of Sofala and Cuama
and the Land of the Caffres from Monomotapa to the Kingdom of Angola and
the Mountains of Teroa. In some countries I have myself seen the
wing-feathers of that enormous fowl, although the bird itself I never
beheld. The feather in question, as could be deduced from its form, was one
of the middle ones, and it was 28 palms in length and three in breadth. The
quill part, from the root to the extremity, was five palms in length, of
the thickness of an average man's arm, and of extreme strength and
hardness. [M. Alfred Grandidier (_Hist. de la Geog. de Madagascar_, p. 25)
thinks that the quill part of this feather was one of the bamboo shoots
formerly brought to Yemen to be used as water-jars and called there
_feathers of Rukh_, the Arabs looking upon these bamboo shoots as the quill
part of the feathers of the Rukh.--H.C.] The fibres of the feather were
equal in length and closely fitted, so that they could scarcely be parted
without some exertion of force; and they were jet black, whilst the quill
part was white. Those who had seen the bird stated that it was bigger than
the bulk of a couple of elephants, and that hitherto nobody had succeeded
in killing one. It rises to the clouds with such extraordinary swiftness
that it seems scarcely to stir its wings. _In form it is like an eagle_.
But although its size and swiftness are so extraordinary, it has much
trouble in procuring food, on account of the density of the forests with
which all that region is clothed. Its own dwelling is in cold and desolate
tracts such as the Mountains of Teroa, i.e. of the Moon; and in the valleys
of that range it shows itself at certain periods. Its black feathers are
held in very high estimation, and it is with the greatest difficulty that
one can be got from the natives, for _one_ such serves to fan ten people,
and to keep off the terrible heat from them, as well as the wasps and
flies" (_Ludolf, Hist. Aethiop._ Comment, p. 164.)

Abu Mahomed, of Spain, relates that a merchant arrived in Barbary who had
lived long among the Chinese