THE KING VULTURE. I& 



On account of the exquisitely delicate scent of this bird, the native Mexicans havo 

 distinguished it by a name which bears allusion to its keen sense of smell, and has been 

 modified into the more euphonious word Condor. 



Although the Condor is not a very social bird, it is generally found in little assemblages 

 of five or six in number, which are seen either seated motionless upon the summits of the 

 rocks, their outlines cutting sharply against the sky, or sailing slowly in circle" at an 

 enormous elevation above the ground. The flight of these birds is peculiarly grand and 

 beautiful, and seems to be achieved by the movement of the head and neck rather than 

 by that of the wings. Mr. Darwin gives the following animated description of the flight 

 of the Condor. 



" Except when rising from the ground, I do not recollect ever having seen one of these 

 birds flap its wings. Near Lima I watched several for nearly half an hour without once 

 taking off my eyes. They moved in large curves, creeping in circles, descending and 

 ascending without once flapping. As they glided close over my head I intently watched 

 from an oblique position the outlines of the separate and terminal feathers of the wing : 

 if there had been the least vibratory movement these would have blended together ; but 

 they were seen distinct against the blue sky. The head and neck were moved frequently, 

 and apparently with force, and it appeared as if the extended wings formed the fulcrum 

 on which the movements of the neck, body, and tail acted. If the bird wished to descend, 

 the wings were for a moment collapsed, and then when again expanded with an altered 

 inclination, the momentum gained by the rapid descent seemed to urge the bird upwards 

 with the even and steady movements of a paper kite. 



In case of any bird soaring, its motion must be sufficiently rapid, so that the action of 

 the inclined surface of its body on the atmosphere may counterbalance its gravity. The 

 force to keep up the momentum of a body moving in a horizontal plane in that fluid (in 

 which there is so little friction) cannot be great, and this force is all that is wanted. The 

 movement of the neck and body of the Condor we must suppose sufficient for this. 

 However this may be, it is truly wonderful and beautiful to see so great a bird, hour 

 after hour, without any apparent exertion, wheeling and gliding over mountain and 

 river." 



The Condor deposits its eggs, for it makes no nest whatever, upon a bare shelf of some 

 lofty rock. The eggs are two in number, greyish-white in colour, and are laid about 

 November or December. When the young Condor is hatched it is nearly naked, but is 

 furnished with a scanty covering of down, which in a short time becomes very plentiful, 

 enveloping the body in a complete vestment of soft black plumage. The deep black grey 

 of the adult bird is not attained until a lapse of three years, the colour of the plumage 

 being a yellowish-brown. 



The KING VULTURE has gained its regal title from a supposition which is prevalent 

 among the natives of the country which it inhabits, that it wields royal sway over the 

 aura, or zopilote Vultures, and that the latter birds will not venture to touch a dead 

 carcass until the King Vulture has taken his share. There is some truth for this 

 supposition, for the King Vulture will not permit any other bird to begin its meal until 

 his own hunger is satisfied. The same habit may be seen in many other creatures, the 

 more powerful lording it over the weaker, and leaving them only the remains of the feast 

 instead of permitting them to partake of it on equal terms. But if the King Vulture 

 should not happen to be present when the dead animal has reached a state of decomposition 

 which renders it palatable to vulturine tastes, the subject Vultures would pay but little 

 regard to the privileges of their absent monarch, and would leave him but a slight prospect 

 of getting a meal on the remains of the feast. 



Waterton, who often mentions this species in his interesting works, gives several 

 curious instances of the sway which the King Vulture exercises over the inferior birds. 

 " When I had done with the carcass of the large snake, it was conveyed into the forest, as 

 I expected that it would attract the king of the Vultures, as soon as time should have 

 rendered it sufficiently savoury. In a few days it sent forth the odour which a carcass 

 should send forth, and about twenty of the common Vultures camo and perched on th^ 



