210 BIRDS. 
Vult. papa, L.; Enl. 428; Vieillot, Gal. 3; Lrubi Cha. Azz. 
(The King of the Vultures). As large as a goose; blackish when 
young (Spix, pl. 1), then becomes variegated with black and fawn-co- 
lour (Vaill. Afric. 13), and finally, in the fourth year, has a fawn- 
coloured mantle, and black quills and collar. The naked parts of 
the head and neck are vividly tinged, and the caruncle is denticulat- 
ed like the comb of a cock. It inhabits the plains and other hot 
parts of South America. Its name is derived from the circumstance 
of the Urubus retiring, through fear, when he stoops upon a body 
which they have already begun to devour. 
Vult. gryphus, L.; Humb. Obs, Zool., pl. viii, and Tem. Pl. Col. 
133 and 408. (The Condor, or Great Vulture of the Andes). Black- 
ish; a great part of the wing ash-coloured; collar silky and white; 
the male, in addition to his superior caruncle, which is large and 
entire, has another under the bill, like the cock. While young, it 
is of a cinereous brown, and without a collar. The caruncles are 
deficient in the female, which is of a brownish-grey. This species 
has been rendered famous by exaggerated reports of its size; it is, 
however, but a little larger than the Lemmer-Geyer, to which it assi- 
milates in habits. It is found in the most elevated mountains of the 
Andes in South America, and flies higher than any other bird. The 
Catuartes, Cuv.—GALLInazeEs, oR CaTHARisTEs, Vieillot. 
Have the bill of the Sarcoramphus, that is, large, and with oval and 
longitudinal nostrils, but no fleshy crest; their head and neck are without 
feathers. 
V. californianus Sh.; Tem. Col. 31. (The Vulture of California). 
Approaches the condor in size, but its wings are proportionably 
longer; the plumage is entirely brown. 
V. aura, L., En). 187; Vieillot, Am. Sept. 2 and Galer. 4. (The 
Turkey Buzzard). Black; tail tapering; as large as a cock.* 
Percnoprerus,} Cuv.—Gyrartos, Bechstein Nroruron, Savig. 
The Percnopteri have a slender, long bill, slightly inflated above its 
curvature; the nostrils oval and longitudinal, and the head, but not the 
neck, divested of feathers. They are birds of a moderate size, very far 
removed, as to strength, from the true Vultures; thus they are more 
eager for carrion and every species of filth, which attract them from afar; 
they do not even disdain to feed upon excrement. They were compre- 
hended by J//liger, along with the preceding, among his CATHARTES. 
* Dy. M‘Murtrie adds the following description of this bird:— 
Cathartes aura (Turkey Buzzard.) Black, with a bluish gloss; neck feathered 
equally all round; head red, bill white. The other species, Cathartes iota, Vieill., 
which by our author is arranged in the genus Perenopterus, undoubtedly belongs to 
the same genus with the C. aura. Its vulgar name is the Carrion Crow. Its colour 
is black, neck more feathered above than beneath; head black; bill horn colour. 
Both these species are common in the warm parts of our country; the first, however, 
ranges more to the north than the other; it is sometimes seen at New York. They 
prey upon carrion and excrementitions matters, but never attack living animals, ex- 
cept they perceive them helpless or unable to defend themselves. 
+ Percnopterus, black wings, the name of the Egyptian species among the antients. 
