ORDER ACCIPITRES. 15 



The Vultures, (Vultur, Lin.) 



Have the eyes close to the head, the tarsi reticu- 

 lated, that is, covered with small scales ; the beak 

 long, bent only at the end ; and a part, more or less, 

 of the head, or even the neck, denuded of feathers. 

 The power of their talons does not correspond with 

 their size, and they rather make use of the beak. 

 Their wings are so long that they hold them half ex- 

 tended when they walk. They are cowardly birds, 

 and live more commonly on carrion than on a living 

 prey ; after eating, their crop forms a large protu- 

 berance, under the fiirca ; a fetid secretion runs from 

 the nose, and they are reduced almost to a state of 

 stupidity. 



The Vultures, properly so called, have a large and 

 strong beak, the nostrils crosswise on the base, the 

 head and neck without feathers, and a collar of long 

 feathers under the neck. They have been seen only 

 in the old world. 



The Fulvous Vulture, (V. fulvus, Gmel.) V. trencalos^ 

 Bechstein. Le Percnoptcre, Buff. Enl. 426, and Le Grand 

 Vautour, Id. Hist, des Ois.i, in 4to., pi. v. * The Vulture, 

 Albin. iii. t. 1. Le Chassejiente, Vail. Afr. The Indian 

 Vulture, Latham and Sonnerat, 



Of a gray or brown colour, approaching to fawn colour; 

 the down of the head and neck cinereous, the collar 



* The history of the great Vulture is that of the following spe- 

 cies, but the fgure belongs to this. 



