THEVULTURE. 15 



fully under the land, and is retired; then, encouraging each other with 

 crits, they pour down on the neft, lay the eggs bare, and devour the 

 whole brood without remorfe. 



Lay two eggs at a tinne, produce once a year. In Europe make their 

 nefts in inacceffible cliffs, nor defcend but when forced by inclemenc 

 feafons. Among the molt remarkable birds of this clafs, is the fol- 

 lowing 



The king of the vultures is native of America, in fize equals a turkey ; 

 his wings not fo long as m.any vultures, his bill ftrong and thick, its 

 bafe environned and covered with a large indented orange-coloured fkin, 

 rifiing to the head, fomewhat like the comb of a cock ; in this are placed 

 the noftrils, which are oblong ; this comb falls on either fide, according 

 to the movement of the bird's head. The eyes are furrounded by a 

 fcarlet-coloured fkin, the iris has the colour and lultre of pearl, the head 

 and neck are without feathers ; covered with a fkin, which is fiefli-coloured 

 OR the top of the head, bright red behind, dufkier before. Below the 

 hind part of the head rifes a little tuft of black down, from whence 

 ifTues and extends on each fide, under the throat, a wrinkled fkin; 

 brownifh, behind mingled with red and blue, flreaked with little lines 

 of black down ; the cheeks or fides of the head are covered with 

 black down ; and between the bill and the eyes, behind the corner of 

 the bill, is on each fide a fpot of brownifii purple ; on the upper part 

 of the neck, is on each fide a fmall longitudinal ftreak of black down ; 

 the fpace between them dufky yellow, the fides of the neck are red gra- 

 dually changing to yellow; below the naked part of the neckj is a collar 

 formed by long foftifli feathers, deep afh-coloured, which lurrounds the 

 neck, and falls on the breaft. Into, this collar the bird fom.etimes 

 (brinks his neck, and part of his head, as into a kind of hood, whence 

 fome have called him monk. The breaft, belly, thighs, and legs, are 

 white ; the wings and tail black. The feet are in fome yellowifh, in 

 others blackilh; the claws are fhort and crooked. It is the molt beau- 

 tiful of the family. Neither its habits or inftincts vary from thofe of 

 the tribe ; being flow, cowardly, living on rats, lizards, Icrpcnts, 

 and carrion or excrement, when it happens. Ihe flefh is fo bad, that 

 even lavages themfelves cannot abide it. 



THE 



