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Syftema Natural, and has named it Viiltur Gryphus. The fpecles which is 

 figured on the annexed plate, tho' it cannot come in competition with die 

 gigantic fpecimens above defcribed, is yet one of the largeft Vultures hither- 

 to known. It was brought from the Straits of Magellan, and the circum- 

 ftance of its not having the leaft appearance of a comb on the head, together 

 with feme other particulars, incline me to fuppofe it a young bird, and moft 

 probably a female. The extent of its wings from tip to tip is about lo feet. 

 The beak is of a dark lead-colour, and grows gradually whitilh towards the 

 tip. The head and neck are dellitute of feathers, but are covered with a 

 fhort ftraggling fort of hairy down. The top of the head inclines to a dark 

 colour, but the reft of the neck is rather paler, and I make no doubt but 

 that in the living bird it was of a reddifh colour. Towards the lower part 

 of the neck appears a fmallifla pear-lhaped tubercle, which probably was red, 

 and round the bafe of the neck, where it joins the fhoulders, is a rufF or 

 circle of white downy feathers, which on acurfory view have exaftly the ap- 

 pearance of rabbet's fur. Beneath the breaft is a confiderable bare fpace. All 

 the reft of the bird is black, except the fhorter or fecondary wing- feathers, 

 which are white with black tips, A few of the fcapulars alfo are of tills ap- 

 pearance, and fome of the wing-coverts are very flightly tipped with whitilh. 

 The legs and claws are blackifli, very ftrong, but the claws not much In- 

 curvated. The tail even at the end and very flightly rounded at fides. On 

 comparing the remiges or long wing-feathers of this bird with fome which 

 were brought by Mr. Byron as thofe of the real Condor, I found tliem to 

 be exaftly fimilar in all refpefts except in fize. Not chufing therefore to 

 create confijfion in natural hiftory by making it abfolutely the fame with the 

 Vultur Gryphus of Linnaeus, I have rather chofen to give it a new name, 

 and to place the fuppofed Linnjean fynonym in a doubtful manner. 



URSUS 



