J3tcttanar of 



^attire. 591 



perfect insects, and (in some species) even 

 spiders, which are destined for the support 

 of their progeny when hatched. It happens 

 that the insects composing this store are 

 sometimes first stung to death ; but more 

 frequently they are only slightly stung, and 

 finally killed by the larvae when they come 

 forth from their eggs, being in this manner 

 rendered powerless, whilst their bodies are 

 prevented from decomposing. The antenna 

 have about thirteen joints, attenuated ex- 

 teriorly, and mostly recurved ; mandibles 

 long, and dentate at the apex ; labium short, 

 with its ligula short and trilobed ; ocelli 

 three, distinct ; wings alike in both sexes ; 

 legs long, spiny ; female armed with a sting. 

 The Sand-Wasp inhabits sunny banks in 

 sandy situations, running among grass, &c. 

 with great activity, and continually vi- 

 brating its anteunoB and wings. It feeds on 

 insects. 



SAPAJOU. A small species of Monkey, 

 of the genus Cebtts. [See MONKEYS.] 



SARCIOPIIORUS. A genus of Grallato- 

 rial birds closely allied to the Pewits, which 

 derive their name from the wattles or fleshy 

 appendages about the neck. The species 

 SARCIOPHORUS PECTORALIS, or BLACK- 

 BRKASTKII PEWIT, inhabits South Australia, 

 Van Diemeii's Land, ic., its favourite lo- 

 calities being open sterile downs, thinly co- 

 vered with vegetation, and occasionally to 

 be met with on the grassy flats in the neigh- 

 bourhood of rivers. It trips very quickly 

 over the ground, much after the manner of 

 the true Pewits, and when flushed generally 

 flics oft' in a straight line, very near the 

 ground. Crown of the head, line running 

 from the angle of the mouth beneath the 

 eye, and down the sides of the neck, and a 

 broad crescent-shaped band across the breast, 

 jet-black ; line from the eye to near the 

 occiput, chin, throat, flanks, abdomen, upper 

 and under tail coverts, white; back light 

 brown i primaries brownish black ; scapula- 

 ries and lower part of the back bronzy brown, 

 passing into black towards the tip of each 

 feather, and tipped with white ; tail white, 

 crossed near the tip by a broad irregular 

 band of block ; bill primrose yellow, the tip 

 horn-colour ; naked parts of the thigh and 

 knees dark pink ; tarsi and toes blackish 

 brown, the latter inclining to pink-red. 



SARCORAMPIIUS, or KING OF THE 

 VULTURES. This powerful species of the 

 VuUurulce family is about two feet and a 

 half in length, and upwards of five feet 

 across the expanded wings. The naked 

 skin of the head and neck is brilliantly 

 coloured ; the beak reddish, with a shade of 

 black ; cere bright orange, prolonged be- 

 tween the nostrils into a comb, loose in tex- 

 ture, and falling on each side of the bill 

 when the head is erect. The bock of the 

 head is covered with a short blackish down, 

 and the side of the head is purplish black. 

 A scarlet circle surrounds the eye ; and on 

 I each side behind the eye are several broad 

 ! and deep wrinkles, whence rises a thick fold 



i extending obliquely downwards along the 

 ueck : from the bright red upper part of the 



neck the colour gradually lessens in inten- 

 sity, fading into orange and yellow lower 

 down. Round the bottom of the neck is a 

 broad ruff of soft, downy, ash-gray feathers : 

 the back and tail-coverts bright fawn; 



K11IO OF TH VULTORBS. 

 (HAROORAMPOOS PAPA.) 



greater wing-coverts and tail-feathers glossy 

 black; legs and claws dusky, or dirty 

 yellow. 



In the central parts of America the Sar- 

 coramphus papa is frequently to be seen, 

 alone or in pairs, perched on the highest 

 trees ; though it is said that considerable 

 flocks may be occasionally met with. The 

 expanse and strength of wing of the King 

 Vulture enables it to reach a lofty height, 

 where its piercing sight brings under its 

 observation a wide tract of country, while 

 its exquisite sense of smell detects the efflu- 

 via arising from putrid fish which during 

 the summer perish in the lakes. The story 

 that the other vultures stand patiently by 

 till this, their monarch, has finished his re- 

 past, may be accounted for by the superior 

 strength and courage of this species ; and it 

 is, in fact, confirmed by the testimony of 

 many travellers ; among others, by Mr. Ed- 

 wards, in his Voyage up the Amazon ; ' 

 who observes "If a King Vulture makes 

 its appearance where a number of the other 

 species are collected about carrion, the latter 

 instinctively give way and stand meekly 

 around while their sovereign leisurely gorges 

 himself. These birds are not very common 

 upon the Amazon, and we never had an 

 opportunity of shooting them, but several 

 times we observed them circling in pairs 

 over the forest. Senhor Henriquez informed 

 us at the Barra that they were not unfre- 

 quently taken alive, particularly if a putrid 

 snake, of which they are fond, be exposed to 

 them. A noose is arranged to fall over their 

 heads, and the caught bird is transformed 

 from a wild marauder into a peaceable 

 citizen. At Para they are highly valued. 

 We saw a pair in perfect plumage which 

 were presented to Mr. Norris, and felt 

 nothing of the disgust inspired by the other 

 common species. Their bare necks were 

 beautifully marked with red and black, 

 orange and yellow, and were surrounded 

 near the base by a ruffle of feathers. Their 

 breasts were white, and the general cnlonr 



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