68 TAXIDERMY. 



less so and lower ; the tail lowered, open and roofed, 

 that is, sloped on each side ; the neck raised and in- 

 clined to the right, the head leaning down, the beak 

 open, the eyes fixed on the object of its fear. This 

 description may be applied to all birds of prey, 

 and an infinity of others ; but ' it is not universally 

 applicable. 



We will now enter into some details on particu- 

 lar preparations for certain birds. 



The first which presents itself is the king of 

 vultures, (vultur papa.) This species is distin- 

 guished by the wrinkles of the naked part of the 

 head, and by a large caroncule or piece of flesh, on 

 the base of the beak; the skin of these parts is red 

 and bright blue, and the skin of the neck of a beauti- 

 ful orange colour. All these colours disappear on 

 the death of the bird. When it is mounted and 

 very dry, we restore them, first preparing these 

 tints, ground in oil, on a pallet, and then applying 

 them to the bird with a brush previously dipped in 

 spirits of turpentine. As this vulture is only found 

 in America, we ought to advise travellers, that, in- 

 dependent of the usual preparations, we form a 

 longitudinal incision behind the tarsus of this spe- 

 cies, and some others, who have them very strong 

 and muscular ; we extract all the tendons, and put 

 some cotton and preservative in their place; with- 

 out this precaution the putrefaction of the fleshy 



