AVES—VULTURE. 421 
prey, preparing to take possession of it; but perhaps he has himseif a suffi- 
cient power of vision to enable him to discover it. He descends hastily and 
with a wheeling flight, and his fall directs the other vultures who witness 
his evolutions, and who no doubt have their instinct sharpened with regard 
to every thing that concerns their food. A concourse of carnivorous birds 
speedily takes place in the neighborhood of the carcass, sufficient to attract 
the vultures of the whole district, nearly in the same manner as the dis- 
turbance created by a number of men running along the streets of a crowded 
town, attracts the whole population to follow in their train.” 
The present species is not met with in the vicinity of the Cape; but is 
very common in the interior, especially in the country of Manaquas. It 
builds its nest in the fissures of the rocks, and the female lays two or rarely 
three eggs. During the time of incubation the male keeps watch at the 
entrance of the cavern, and thus renders their retreat easy of detection ; but 
on the other hand it is always very difficult of access. The interior offers a 
most disgusting spectacle, and is infected by an insupportable stench. Le 
Vaillant had eaten of their eggs, which, to use his own expression, are good 
enough to be made use of. As they live in formidable bands, a single 
mountain sometimes conceals as many nests as there are cavities fit for 
their reception. They appear to agree together exceedingly well, for two or 
three nests are sometimes seen placed side by side in the same cavern. 
PNM G7, Te Be V UL DE URE Sse 
Tuts is unquestionably one of the handsomest, although among the 
smaller species of the vulture family. The only other American vultures, 
the turkey buzzard, and a second closely allied species, (the black vulture) 
form a distinct genus nearly related to this, but differing essentially in 
several important points. It is no doubt in comparison with the two last 
mentioned birds, that the present has obtained, in the language of all the 
native tribes to which it is known, the appellation of king of the vultures; 
for it is far inferior, both in size and strength, to the gigantic species which 
are generically associated with it. 
When fully grown, the king of the vultures measures about two feet and 
a half in total length, and more than twice as much in the expanse of its 
wings. The hues of its plumage are bright, sharply circumscribed, and 
strongly contrasting with each other. Round the base of the neck passes a 
broad ruff of soft downy feathers of a deep ashy gray; the whole under 
suriace is white, with an occasional tinge of flesh color; the back and tail 
coverts are of abright fawn, which becomes lighter and lighter as the bire 
1 Cathartes Papa, Ly. 
