The Vulture. 195 



THE KING VULTUEE. (Vultur, or Sarcorltampluu 

 papa.) 



THE KING VULTURE, or King of the Vultures, is so called, 

 because when he makes his appearance amongst a whole 

 company of other birds of his kind engaged in a feast 

 upon a dead carcase, they all retire before him and wait 

 respectfully at a little distance until this monarch has 

 eaten his fill. He is an inhabitant of South America. 



The head and neck of this bird are without feathers ; 

 the body above, reddish buff, beneath, yellowish white : 

 quills greenish black; tail black; craw pendulous, and 

 orange-coloured. It is about the size of a turkey; and 

 is chiefly remarkable for the odd formation of the skin 

 of the head and neck ; this skin, which is of an orange 

 colour, arises from the base of the bill, whence it 

 stretches on each side of the head; the eyes are sur- 

 rounded by a red skin, and the iris has the colour and 

 lustre of pearl. Upon the naked part of the neck is a 

 collar formed by soft longish feathers. Into this collar 

 the bird sometimes withdraws his whole neck, and some- 

 times a part of its head, so that it looks as if it had 

 hidden its neck in its body. 



