106 ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 



loping the large open ears, and descending for several 

 inches along each side of the neck. A no less impor- 

 tant distinction exists in the nostrils, vvhich instead of 

 forming, as in the Condor, longitudinal fissures, are 

 short, oval, and directed downwards. The beak is of 

 great strength, remarkably deep, and powerfully curved 

 at the point ; the legs short and thick ; the toes, espe- 

 cially the posterior one, somewhat elongated ; and the 

 claws thick, strong, blunted at the points, and very 

 slightly curved. 



The discriminating characters of the genus will con- 

 sequently be found in the flatness of the head above ; 

 the sunken position of the eyes ; the absolute naked- 

 ness of the head and upper part of the neck ; the 

 absence of a fleshy process on the top of the head ; 

 the existence of a longitudinal fold of skin on either 

 side of the neck ; the oval form and transverse direction 

 of the nostrils ; the uncommon thickness of the beak ; 

 and the elongation of the posterior toe to the extent of 

 that of the European Vulture. On the principles of 

 subdivision that have been adopted in the Vulture 

 family, it is impossible not to consider these peculiari- 

 ties as at least equal in importance to those that distin- 

 guish most of the other groups. We should therefore 

 not hesitate for a moment to give a name to that which 

 must of necessity obtain one hereafter, were we able to 

 fill up this sketch by an enumeration of the accessoiy 

 characters to be derived from the number and compa- 

 rative length of the quill-feathers of the tail and wings, 

 the structure of the tongue, and other more or less 

 important modifications of form. As, however, it would 

 be extremely difficult to ascertain these facts in the 

 living bird, and we have no other means of arrivino- at 

 them, we willingly postpone the formation of the genus 

 until an opportunity shall occur of completing its diffe- 

 rential characters. 



