BLACK VULTURE. 27 



but one variety. It is distinguished, however, by the beak, 

 which is gray with a black point. Notwithstanding the size of 

 this bird, which is nearly that of the turkey, and its strong and 

 crooked talons, it attacks no other, but feeds principally upon 

 carcasses and reptiles. It is extremely indolent, and will fre- 

 quently remain for a long time almost motionless, with its wings 

 extended, sunning itself upon the rocks, or the roofs of the 

 houses. When in pain, which is the only time that it is known 

 to make any noise, it utters a sharp cry like that of a rat; and 

 usually disgorges what it has eaten. The flesh of this bird emits 

 a fetid smell that is highly offensive. The manner in which it 

 builds its nest is perfectly correspondent to its natural indolence : 

 it carelessly places between rocks, or even upon the ground, a 

 few dry leaves or feathers, upon which it lays two eggs of a 

 dirty white."* 



The Black Vulture is twenty-six inches in length, and four 

 feet eleven inches in extent; the bill is two inches and a half 

 long, of a pale horn colour as far as near an inch, the remainder, 

 with the head, and wrinkled skin of the neck, a dirty scurfy 

 black; tongue similar to that of the Turkey-buzzard; nostril an 

 oblong slit; irides dark reddish hazel; earssublunate; the throat 

 is dashed with yellow ochre in some specimens; neck feathers 

 below the caruncled skin much inflated, and very thick; the 

 general colour of the plumage is a dull black, except the pri- 

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

 broadened edges below of a drab, or dark cream colour, ex- 

 tending two inches, which is seen only when the wing is un- 

 folded, 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 



*Hist. Chili, Am. trans, i, p. 185. 



