Fauna of Chile by Jorge Luis Borges
This work is a collection of essays on the natural history of Chile, focusing on its unique and diverse fauna. It explores the country's geographical features and how they have shaped the evolution of its wildlife. The author examines various species, including birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects, highlighting their adaptations to the harsh climate and varied ecosystems of Chile.
By Jorge Luis Borges · First published 1942 · Genre: Mythology, Fantasy, Folklore · 978 words
First lines
Our chief authority on animals incubated by the Chilean imagination is Julio Vicuña Cifuentes, whose Myths and Superstitions collects a number of legends drawn from oral tradition. All of the following extracts but one are taken from this work. The Calchona is recorded in Zorobabel Rodríguez' Dictionary of Chileanisms, published in Santiago de Chile in 1875.
The Alicanto is a nocturnal bird that seeks its food in veins of gold and silver. The variety that feeds on gold may be identified by the golden light that gleams from its wings when it runs with them open (for it cannot fly); the silver-feeding Alicanto is known, as one might expect, by a silvery light.
What this Textopian page supports
Fauna of Chile is listed on Textopian as a short story by Jorge Luis Borges, dated 1942 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Jorge Luis Borges
- Date: 1942 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mythology, Fantasy, Folklore, Anthology, Cultural
- Length: 978 words
- Structure: 1 section, 9 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Fauna of Chile by Jorge Luis Borges
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Fauna of Chile?
- How does this short story by Jorge Luis Borges fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Mythology first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Fauna Of The United States by Jorge Luis Borges
- Fauna Of China by Jorge Luis Borges
- Mr Symonds History Of The Renaissance by Oscar Wilde
- James Hogg by James Mcintyre
- Stories Of Gods And Heroes by Thomas Bulfinch
- The Boy Hunter Who Never Sacrificed To The Deer He Had Slain by Frank Hamilton Cushing
Genres
- Mythology — The text is a collection of mythical creatures and legends from Chilean folklore.
- Fantasy — The creatures described possess fantastical attributes and abilities beyond the natural world.
- Folklore — The work draws from oral traditions and local legends specific to Chile.
- Anthology — The text compiles various stories and descriptions of mythical beings.
Tags
Non-Fiction · Scientific · Biological · Zoology · Chilean · Geography · Classification · Taxonomy · Systematics · Natural History · Field Guide · Comprehensive