NATURAL HISTORY. 



S.VKOORHAMPIIOS. 



Pupa, the King Vulture. 



The KING VULTURE is also a native of South America, seldom 

 if ever being seen north of Florida. Travellers relate that this 

 species keeps the other vultures under subjection, and does not 

 suffer them to approach a dead animal until he has complete- 

 ly satisfied his own appetite, which is certainly none of the 

 smallest. 



We now arrive at the true VULTURES. These birds are the 

 representatives of the carrion-devouring animals, such as the 

 hyenas, wild dogs, &c. They however do not, as the hyenas 

 and wild dogs, attack living animals. The neck of the Vulture 

 is almost naked, very slightly sprinkled with down, and from 

 the formation of the lower part of the neck, the bird is enabled 

 to draw its head almost under the feathers of its shoulders, so 

 that a hasty observer would conclude that the creature had no 

 neck at all. 



The marvellous quickness with which the vultures discover 

 a dead animal has caused many discussions among naturalists 

 as to the sense employed ; some, as Audubon, declaring entirely 



