210. . BIRDS. 



Vult. papa, L. ; Enl. 428 ; Vieillot, Gal. 3 ; Irubi Cha. Azz. 

 (The King of the Vultures). As large as a goose ; blackish when 

 young (Spix, pi. 1), then becomes variegated with black and fawn-co- 

 lour (Vaill. Afric. 13), and finally, in the fourth year, has a fawn- 

 coloured mantle, and black quills and collar. The naked parts of 

 the head and neck are vividly tinged, and the caruncle is denticulat- 

 ed like the comb of a cock. It inhabits the plains and other hot 

 parts of South America. Its name is derived from the circumstance 

 of the Uruhus retiring, through fear, when he stoops upon a body 

 which they have already begun to devour. 



Vult. gryphus, L. ; Humb. Obs. Zool., pi. viii, and Tem. PL Col. 

 133 and 408. (The Condor, or Great Vulture of the Andes). Black- 

 ish ; a great part of the wing ash-coloured ; collar silky and white ; 

 the male, in addition to his superior caruncle, which is large and 

 entire, has another under the bill, like the cock. While young, it 

 is of a cinereous browm, and without a collar. The caruncles are 

 deficient in the female, which is of a bro^\^lish-grey. This species 

 has been rendered famous by exaggerated reports of its size ; it is, 

 however, but a little larger than the Lcemmer-Geyer, to which it assi- 

 milates in habits. It is found in the most elevated mountains of the 

 Andes in South America, and flies higher than any other bird. The 



Cathartes, Cuv. — Gallinazes, or Catharistes, Vieillot. 



Have the bill of the Sarcoramphus, that is, large, and with oval and 

 longitudinal nostrils, but no fleshy crest ; their head and neck are Avithout 

 feathers. 



V. californianus Sh. ; Tem. Col. 31. (The Vulture of California). 

 Approaches the condor in size, but its wings are proportionably 

 longer; the plumage is entirely brown. 



V. aura, L., Enl. 187; Vieillot, Am. Sept. 2 and Galer. 4. (The 

 Turkey Buzzard). Black; tail tapering; as large as a cock.* 



PERCNOPTERUSjf CM^'.— Gypaetos, Bechsteiu. — Neophron, Savig. 



The Percnopteri have a slender, long bill, slightly inflated above its 

 curvature ; the nostrils oval and longitudinal, and the head, but not the 

 neck, divested of feathers. They are birds of a moderate size, very far 

 removed, as to strength, from the true Vultures; thus they are more 

 eager for carrion and every species of filth, which attract them from afar ; 

 they do not even disdain to feed upon excrement. They were compre- 

 hended by niiger, along with the preceding, among his Cathartes. 



* Dr. M'Murtrie adds the following description of this bird: — 

 Cathartes aura (Turkey Buzzard.) Black, with a bluish gloss; neck feathered 

 equally all round; head red, bill white. The other species, Cathartes iota, Vieill., 

 which by our author is arranged in the genus Percnopterus, undoubtedly belongs to 

 the same genus with the C. aura. Its vulgar name is the Carrion Crow. Its colour 

 is black, neck more feathered above than beneath; head black; bill horn colour. 

 • Both these species are common in the warm parts of our country; the first, however, 

 ranges more to the north than the other; it is sometimes seen at New York. They 

 prey upon carrion and excrementitious matters, but never attack living animals, ex- 

 cept they perceive them helpless or unable to defend themselves. 



f Percnopterus, black wings, the name of the Egyptian species among the antients. 



