BIRDS OF PREY. 



13 



thus combining, to a certain extent, the habits of the vulture with 

 the garb of the eagle. The American vultures arc remarkable 

 for the possession of fleshy appendages, that surmount the base 

 of their beak, and give a very distinctive character to their phy- 

 siognomy. It is to the true vultures only — the types of the family 

 — that the above general description is strictly applicable, from 

 which the rest are more or less aberrant. 



'M "'I Iff 

 111 ' 



Fig. 7.— Foot of Eagle. 



Equally diversified are their modes of life. In hot climates they 

 are more frequently seen upon plains than in elevated situations ; 

 sometimes they approach villages, and at early dawn spread them- 

 selves through the streets and lanes, rendering much service by 

 devouring all kinds of carrion. In temperate climates they only 

 frequent the highest mountains and most inaccessible clift's, where 

 some of them prefer killing their own game. Such differences, 

 both in their appearance and mode of life, have rendered it ex- 

 ])edient to divide them into several Sub-families, each distin- 

 guished from the rest by certain characteristic peculiarities. Thus 

 we have the Bearded Vultures {Gypaciimr), the Condors {Sarcor- 

 amphinco), the Vultures proper( l^ieltiti-ina:),dind the Eagle-Vultures 

 (fiypohicracincc), each of which will require separate notice. 



