98 KING OF THE VULTURES. 



animal ; but the stories commonly told of his ferocity are 

 replete with exaggeration. 



The Vulture Papa, or King of the Vultures, is charac- 

 terized by the brilliant colouring of the naked skin of his 

 head and neck, and is certainly the handsomest of the 

 birds of prey. 



He ranges over nearly the whole of South America; 

 avoiding the mountains, however, and confining himself 

 chiefly to the woods and plains. Thus he is an inhabitant 

 not only of the Temperate Zone but of the Tropics, and is 

 found in Guiana as well as in Paraguay. He feeds upon 

 reptiles and carrion, and even upon ordure. One of the 

 chief of Nature's scavengers, he devours great quantities 

 of the fish which perish in the shallow lakes during the 

 summer droughts. 



He is also in the habit of visiting the neighbourhood of 

 towns and villages, which are likewise frequented by flocks 

 of the Gallinazos, or Turkey Vultures. Humboldt informs 

 us that when a rapacious company of the latter birds are 

 contending over their food, according to the usual vulturine 

 fashion, the appearance of a single king vulture sufiices to 

 scatter them in all directions; nor do they venture to 

 return until he has satisfied his royal appetite. 



Among other raptores which belong to South America 

 we may name the Burrowing Owl, found in great numbers 

 in Chili and the pampas. It also inhabits the prairies of 

 the Mississippi. Its peculiar habit is indicated by its 

 name ; it dwells, at all events during the breeding season, 

 in subterranean burrows formed either by its own oxer- 



