THE GALLINAZO. 379 



by consuming the animal offals which, if left to putrefaction, 

 would produce a pestilence. Thus they generally, in tropical 

 America, enjoy the protection of the law, a heavy fine being 

 imposed upon the offender who wantonly kills one of these 

 scavengers. It is consequently not to be wondered at that, 

 like domestic birds, they congregate in flocks in the streets of 

 Lima, and sleep upon the roofs of the houses. 



According to Mr. Wallace the Carrion Vultures, though 

 commonly supposed to have very acute olfactory nerves, depend 

 entirely on sight in seeking out their food. While he was 

 skinning a bird, a dozen of them used to be always waiting 

 attendance at a moderate distance. The moment he threw 

 away a piece of meat they would all run up to seize it ; but it 

 frequently happened to fall in a little hollow of the ground or 

 among some grass, and then they would hop about, searching 

 within a foot of it, and very often go away without finding it. 

 A piece of stick or paper would bring them down just as 

 rapidly, and after seeing what it was they would quietly go 

 back to their former places. They always choose elevated 

 stations, evidently to see what food they can discover, and 

 when soaring at an immense height in the air, they will 

 descend where some animal has died long before it emits any 

 strong smell. 



It is a remarkable fact that, though hundreds of gallinazos 

 may be feeding upon a carcase, they immediately retire when 

 the King of the Vultures {Sarcoi^amphits papa) makes his 

 iappearance, who yet is not larger than themselves. Perching 

 ion the neighbouring trees, they wait till his majesty — a beautiful 

 [bird, with a gaudily coloured head and neck — has sufficiently 

 [gorged himself, and then pounce down with increased voracity 

 [upon their disgusting meal. 



The Indians of Cfuiana sometimes amuse themselves with 

 ^catching a gallinazo by means of a piece of meat attached to 

 [a hook, and decking him with a variety of strange feathers, 

 which they attach to him with soft wax. Thus travestied, they 

 turn him out again among his comrades, who, to their great 

 delight, fly in terror from the nondescript ; and it is only after 

 wind and weather have stripped him of his finery that the 

 outlaw is once more admitted into their society. 



When full of food this vulture, like the other members of his 



