Mr. R. Schomburgk on the King of the Vultures. 257 



magnificent birds among the feathered tribe ; however its 

 character corresponds little with its showy vesture ; it is vo- 

 racious, unclean, and indolent. Their sense of smelling is un- 

 commonly sharp, but it is only used to scent the carrion ; and 

 while the eagle devours nothing but what his talons and beak 

 have deprived of life, and does not stoop to feed on carcasses, 

 the odour of putrefaction possesses every allurement for the 

 vulture ; and it gorges itself to such a degree, that after a full 

 meal it cannot rise upon its wings for a considerable time. 

 The bird has then a most disagreeable smell, which becomes 

 almost insupportable, if it be skinned ; at other periods, and 

 when it has been pressed hard for food, it does not emit that 

 unpleasant odour. 



The females appear to be more numerous than the males ; 

 but their number has been much exaggerated, they having 

 been frequently confounded with the common carrion-crow 

 {Cathartes aura), with whom they feed ; indeed the latter may 

 be considered their scouts ; and the common report is well 

 founded, that the carrion-crow does not touch the carcass until 

 their majesties and spouses, of which there are frequently se- 

 veral present at the entertainment, have satisfied themselves 

 to repletion : during that time they are silent and covetous 

 spectators, and keep a proper distance, but scarcely have the 

 others done when they fall to with voracious appetite. 



Their skill in preparing skeletons is astonishing : they not 

 only scrape off the flesh with the greatest nicety, but likewise 

 the ligaments and periosteums, without subjecting them pre- 

 viously to maceration ; indeed they are perfect masters in their 

 art, and vie with the best Anatomical Instructor. When we 

 ascended the river Berbice, a cayman was shot and dragged 

 on shore to leave to the vultures and carrion-crows the trouble 

 of cleaning the bones. On our return a month after, they had 

 performed the operation to our entire satisfaction, and we con- 

 cluded from the whiteness and dryness of the bones that a 

 fortnight might have elapsed since they finished. The ske- 

 leton was subsequently unfortunately lost at the Christmas 

 Cataracts by the upsetting of the corial*. At a later period 



* A corial is a boat made solely of the trunk of a tree ; they are from 20 

 to 40 feet long, and often 4 to 6 feet wide. 



Ann. Nat. Hist. Vol. 2. No. 10. Dec. 1838. s 



