22 BLACK VULTURE. 



neck feathers below the earuncled skin much inflated, and very thick ; 

 the general color of the plumage is a dull black, except the primaries, 

 which are whitish on the inside, and have four of their broadened edges 

 below of a drab, or dark cream color, extending two inches, which is seen 

 only when the wing is unfolded, the shafts of the feathers white on both 

 sides ; the rest of the wing feathers dark on both sides ; secondaries, 

 scapulars and tail, with a slight coppery gloss ; the wings when folded 

 are about the length of the tail, the fifth feather being the longest ; the 

 secondaries are two inches shorter than the tail, which is composed of 

 twelve feathers, and slightly forked, or nearly square ; the exterior 

 feathers three-quarters of an inch longer than the rest ; the legs are of a 

 dirty limy white, three inches and a half in length, and, with the feet, are 

 thick and strong ; the middle toe, including the claw, is four inches long, 

 side toes two inches, and connected to the middle as far as the first joint ; 

 inner toe rather the shortest ; hind toe pointing inward ; claws strong, 

 but not sharp like those of the Falco genus, middle claw three-quarters 

 of an inch long ; the stomach is not lined with hair as reported. When 

 opened, this bird smells strongly of musk, so much so as to be quite 

 offensive. Sexes nearly alike. 



Mr. Abbot informs me that the Carrion Crow builds its nest in the 

 large trees of the low wet swamps, to which places they retire every 

 evening to roost. " They frequent," says he, " that part of the town 

 of Savannah where the hog-butchers reside, and walk about the streets, 

 in great numbers, like domestic fowls. It is diverting to see, when the 

 entrails and offals of the hogs are thrown to them, with what greediness 

 they scramble for the food, seizing upon it, and pulling one against 

 another until the strongest prevails. The Turkey-buzzard is accused 

 of killing young lambs and pigs, by picking out their eyes, but I believe 

 that the Carrion Crow is not guilty of the like practices." When taken 

 alive, this bird bites excessively hard, and its bill, which is very sharp 

 on its edges, is capable of inflicting severe wounds, as I myself expe- 

 rienced. 



It is really astonishing that the European naturalists should so long 

 have overlooked the difference which there is between this species and 

 the Turkey-buzzard, in their external conformation. Their heads are 

 differently shaped ; their bills and nostrils are considerably unlike ; and 

 the arrangement of the neck plumage is entirely dissimilar, as our figures 

 will show. The Turkey-buzzard's neck, along the oesophagus, as far as 

 the breast bone, is bare of feathers, though this nakedness is concealed 

 by the adjacent plumage ; the same part in the Carrion Crow is com- 

 pletely clothed. The down of both species has the same cottony 

 appearance. 



The drab color on the primaries is not visible when the wing is closed, 

 consequently the marking on the wing of our figure is incorrect. 



