298 ZOOLOGY. 



This sub-family consists of two genera of small vultures inhabiting southern 

 Asia and Africa, one of which, the Neophron percnopterus, Linn,, occasionally 

 visits Europe, and has been found in Great Britain. It has been represented 

 as exceedingly disgusting in its habits, preying only upon decaying animal 

 matter, and very familiar in the streets and neighborhood of cities. It 

 is this species which is most frequently alluded to by travellers in countries 

 (and especially the cities) of Southern Asia and Northern Africa, and is 

 usually called the Egyptian Vulture. Another species has been discovered 

 in Abyssinia : and a distinct genus, comprising only one species, is found in 

 Western Africa. It is the Gypohierax angolensis, Gm., or the Angola 

 Vulture. 



These are all timid and weak birds, and devour all forms of animal filth 

 with unexampled greediness. 



Sah-fam. 5. ^arcoramplunoi or American Vulhires. Head and neck 

 more or less naked, and with the skin either carunculated or corrugated. 

 Bill lengthened and rather slender, but strong at the tip, which is curved and 

 acute ; nostrils placed in the cere, with the opening large, exposed, and longi- 

 tudinal. Wings long and pointed ; tarsi long ; middle toe long. Size 

 various, comprehending the largest and the smallest of the vultures. Color 

 black. 



The species of this sub-family are peculiar to America and constitute two 

 well defined genera, Sarcoramphus^ or the Condors, and Cathartes, which 

 includes the Turkey Buzzard and Carrion Crows. The Condor (pZ. 104, jig. 

 11) is the largest of all rapacious birds. It inhabits Central and South 

 America, generally frequenting the vicinity of the high mountain ranges, in 

 •yvhich it rears its young at an elevation of ten to sixteen thousand feet above 

 the level of the sea, above which it is represented by travellers as soaring 

 to a vastly greater height. The eggs are laid upon the bare rock,, two in 

 number, white, and about four inches in length. The condor feeds princi- 

 pally upon young animals, but several in company are said to attack the llama 

 and other large quadrupeds, and readily overpower them. Very extravagant 

 stories were carried to Europe by the eaidier voyagers respecting the size and 

 prowess of the condor, some of wdiich gained considerable currency, and in 

 fact the bird and its habits were little known until observed in South 

 America by the celebrated Humboldt. It appears, notwithstanding its large 

 size and great strength, to partake in a considerable measure of the dis- 

 position to familiarity and susceptibility of semi-domestication which prevail 

 amongst the carrion crows and other of the American vultures. Dr. Gambel, 

 in an account of this bird published in the Journal of the Academy of Nat. 

 Sci. of Phila., vol. i. p. 25 (quarto), has the following remarkable and 

 interesting paragraph : •' A condor Avhich I saw at Valparaiso in 1845 

 lived at large in the city, and appeared to be an universal favorite. It would 

 follow after or Avalk alongside of a person like a dog, and oifered no re- 

 sistance to being handled or having its feathers smoothed down : so good- 

 natured was it that it would receive the caresses of children, and permit 

 them to beat it Avith switches or even attempt to get upon its back. In 

 fact, I have never met with any bird which exhibited more tame- 

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