AMERICAN VULTURES. 



271 



The king- vulture has a more northerly range than the condor, extending from 

 Brazil to Mexico, Texas, and Florida, and also occurring in Trinidad. Beaching in 

 the mountains to an elevation of about five thousand feet, this splendid bird has 

 its true home in primeval forest or well-wooded plains ; and it is utterly unknown 

 in dry open districts, or on barren mountains. A comparatively scarce bird, it 

 roosts at night in low trees, — frequently in company, — and sallies forth at early 



KING-VULTURE (j nat. size). 



dawn in search of carrion and other food. Although the female is known to lay 

 two white eggs, there is some uncertainty as to the location of the nest. Azara 

 was told by the natives that it was always placed in hollow trees, but this has 

 been doubted by other writers ; and Burmeister states that the nest is built high 

 up on a tree, frequently on the very summit of one that is dead and bare. 



American The two remaining genera of the New World vultures are readily 



Black Vulture, distinguished from the preceding ones by the absence of an erect wattle 



on the naked head in both sexes ; while they are further characterised by the wings 



