ACCIPITRES.- 



-BIRDS.- 



-VOLTUEIDiE. 



241 



The head and neck are quite naked, and the skin on 

 these parts is variously folded. 



The Condor, although undoubtedly one of the largest, 

 or perhaps the largest of predaceous birds, long 

 enjoyed a repttation for size and strength to which 

 he was certainly not entitled. This was due to tlie 

 exaggerated accounts of the older travellers in America, 

 which led their readers almost to believe tliat this bird 

 rivalled tlie fabulous Hoc of the Arabian writers in 



bulk. It appears, however, fi-om the more trust-worthy 

 accounts of modem naturalists, amongst whom we 

 may mention especially tlie late Baron Humboldt and 

 his celebrated companion Bonpland, that the Condor 

 scarcely exceeds the Lammergeyer in size and spread 

 of wing, the ordinary distance from tip to tip being 

 only from nine to eleven feet, and the largest recorded 

 expanse fourteen feet. These are about the measure- 

 ments of tlie Lammergeyer ; and as the length of the 



ng.o? 



The Condor (Sarcorhamphus Go'iihus). 



latter bird from the tip of the beak to the extremity of 

 the tail, is ratlior gi-eater than tliat of a Condor witli 

 the same expanse of wing, we may consider these 

 birds as approaching very closely in size. 



The basal part of the beak in the Condor is brown- 

 ish; the tip nearly white. The naked skin of the 

 head and neck is of a reddish colour, with a few 

 scattered black hairs. The front of tlie neck, beneath 

 the chin, is furnished with a loose membrane, which 

 can be dilated at the will of the bird, in the same way 

 as the wattles of the turkey-cock. Round the base of 

 the neck is a frill of white, downy feathers, like that 

 which has ahead}' been described as occurring m other 

 species; and the rest of the plumage is black or greyish- 

 black, with the exception of the wing coverts and the 

 secondary quill feathers, of which the former are white 

 Vol. I. 



at the apex in tie male, and the latter along the outer 

 margin in both sexes. The legs, which are short and 

 very stout, are of a grey colour. The toes exhibit a 

 distinct membrane at their base, and are armed with 

 rather long and stout, but very slightly cwved, black 

 claws. The hinder toe is very short, in comparison 

 with that of the birds of prey in general. 



The Condor is fomid along the whole range of the vast 

 chain of the Andes, frorh near the Straits of Magellan to 

 the republic of New Granada, a few degi-ees north of the 

 equator. It is most abmidant in the tropical parts of this 

 range, especially ui Pera and Quito. It is prmcipally 

 an mhabitant of the higher regions of the moimtains, 

 from an elevation of about 11,000 feet up to the line of 

 perpetual snow. In its flight, however, it soars far 

 above the latter level, and is justly said by Humboldt 



2 H 



