Mr, R. Schomburgk on the King of the Vultures. 259 



possess life, as they are not known to kill. It is a cowardly- 

 bird, and does not oppose in single combat an animal from 

 which it expects resistance. They rise with heavy wings and 

 with great noise. I have not been able to ascertain where 

 they build their nests, very likely in the most retired places. 

 The carrion-crow (Cathartes aura) constructs it near the coast 

 in the sugar fields on the ground. The young males of the 

 king of the vultures are in their first year black ; they be- 

 come black and white-spotted during the second, and are only 

 in full plumage during the third year. 



While we camped in Curassawaka, a Carib settlement at 

 the river Rupunoony, the Indians brought us three males and 

 a female alive. One of the former had been caught in a snare ; 

 the others had been shot with the Sarbacan or blowpipe, the 

 arrow poisoned with diluted ourari, so that it only stupified 

 without killing. One of them died, and the other managed to 

 get away ; however one of the males and the female we had for 

 several weeks. The female became much sooner reconciled 

 to her fate than the male, and allowed herself to be approached; 

 but unfortunately she got loose, and as we did not wish to give 

 her up on easy terms, a Maconsi Indian w T as desired to shoot 

 her with a poisoned arrow ; the poison was not diluted, and 

 she fell a few minutes after from the tree, and all our endea- 

 vours to save her by giving her sugar and water, which the 

 Indians say is an antidote, proved in vain. A fine and full- 

 grown male bird was therefore only left of the four. He w r as 

 indolent while with us, and at the last moment, when he was 

 sent to Demerara, he was not tamer than when we received 

 him. When we approached, or a dog came near him, he would 

 fly up or stretch his neck forth, and attempt to pick with the 

 beak, making at the same time a noise like a goose when irri- 

 tated or when defending its young. He was generally fed 

 upon fish, and never declined when well to eat them fresh ; 

 for that purpose he kept his food with his talons and spread 

 his wings, picking the flesh from the bones, if the fish was 

 large, but swallowed it entire if of a small size. In his vora- 

 city he frequently miscalculated the size of his gullet, and the 

 fish remained often for some time in it before it was entirely 



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