TROPICAL AMERICA.— BIRDS. 81 
black and turkey buzzards of North America, is still 
a matter of doubt. The king vulture (V. papa L.) is 
also large ; and its head and neck, although naked, are 
beautifully coloured. But the most remarkable bird of 
this tribe in South America, or in the world, is the 
famous condor of the Andes. 
It appears to extend its range 
over a long extent of those 
immense mountains, but has 
not yet been met with in 
Brazil, or in the less elevated 
provinces on the eastern side 
of the Cordilleras. In these 
flatter and more wooded dis- 
tricts, the place of the condor 
is filled by a bird little infe- 
rior in size, but much more 
cruel and destructive in its 
habits ; named, on this account, 
the destroying eagle (Aquila 
destructor, fig. 31.). While 
the condor is restricted to the 
highest mountains, this formidable bird ranges over the 
forests of the coast, and particularly those of Demerara, 
Para, and Brazil. It flies with majestic rapidity, and 
preys only upon deer, sloths, monkeys, and the larger 
quadrupeds ; pursuing them with velocity, and tearing 
them in pieces with its enormous talons. The different 
Caracaras, more resembling eagles than kites, are also 
peculiar to this part of the world. The owls, unlike 
those of the North, are of a small size ; and one spe- 
cies in the gardens of Pernambuco, was, in size, inferior 
to the thrush. 
(115.) The®chief families of perching birds we have 
already enumerated ; but many others may be noticed 
for their beauty or their singularity. The numerous 
tyrant flycatchers are seen in all the open tracts and 
gardens, perched on the surrounding branches, and per-- 
petually on the watch for insects. The water-chats 
G 
