314 BULLETIN OF THE 



phus papa), Bertram's account of it leads one to infer thatlie found itquite 

 abundant. His description of it is given with satisfactory detail. He says 

 it is " near the size of the turkey-buzzard, but his wings are much shorter, 

 and consequently he falls greatly below that admirable bird in sail. I 

 shall call this bird the painted vulture. The bill is long and straight al- 

 most to the point, where it is hooked, or bent suddenly down, and sharp ; 

 the head and neck bare of feathers nearly down to the stomach, where the 

 fe?*.hers begin to cover the skin, and soon become long and of a soft text- 

 ure, forming a ruff or tippet, in which the bird, by contracting his neck, 

 can hide that as well as his head ; the bare skin on the neck appears loose 

 and wrinkled, which is of a deep bright yellow color, intermixed with coral 

 red ; the hinder part of the neck is nearly covered with short, stiff hair; 

 and the skin of this part of the neck is of a dun-purple color, gradually be- 

 coming red as it approaches the yellow of the sides and fore part. The 

 crown of the head is red; there are lobed lappets of a reddish orange 

 color, which lay on the base of the upper mandible. But what is singular, 

 a large portion of the stomach hangs down on the breast of the bird, in 

 the likeness of a sack or half wallet, and sceijis to be a duplicative of the 

 craw, which is naked and of a reddish flesh color ; this is partly concealed 

 by the feathers of the breast, unless when it is loaded with food (which is 

 commonly, I believe, roasted reptiles), and then it appears prominent. 

 The plumage of the bird is generally white or cream color, except the 

 quill feathers of the wings, and two or three rows of the coverts, which are 

 of a beautiful dark brown ; the tail, which is large and white, is tipped 

 with this dark brown or black ; the legs and feet of a clear white ; the eye 

 is encircled with a gold-colored iris; the pupil black. 



"The Creeks or Muscogulgees," he continues, " construe! their royal 

 standard of the tail feathers of this bird, which is called by a name signi- 

 fying the eagle's tail; this they carry with them when they go to battle, 

 but then it is painted with a zone of red within the brown tips, and in 

 peaceable negotiations it is displayed new, clean, and white; this standard 

 is held most, sacred by them on all occasions, anil is constructed and orna- 

 mented with great ingenuity. These birds seldom appear but when the 

 deserts are set on fire (which happens almost every day throughout the 

 year in some part or other, by the Indians, for the purpose of rousing up 

 game, as also by the lightning)*, when they are seen at a distance soaring 

 on the wing, gathering from every quarter, and gradually approaching the 

 burnt plains, when they alight upon the ground yet smoking with hot em- 

 bers; they gather up the roasted serpents frogs, and lizards, filling their 

 sacks with them. At this time a person may shoot them with pleasure, 

 they not being whTng to quit the feast, and indeed seem to brave all 

 danger." 



