V U L T U R S.. 



CONDUR 

 V. 



Vultur gryphus, Lin. Syft. i. 121. N°'l.. 

 Le Condor, Brijfon drnith. i. p. 473. N° I2t 

 Le Condor, Buffon oif. i. p. 184. 

 Cuntur, Raii Syn. p. 11. N° 9. 



Description. 



npH IS bird is not only: the largeft of this genus, but perhaps 

 of all others which are able to fly*-: — The accounts of authorsj 

 in regard to it's extent of wing, are various, viz. from nine feet 

 to eighteen feet, from the tip of one wing to that of the other. 

 One * gives it ftrength fufficient to carry off fheep, and boys of 

 ten years old ; while another f ventures to afErm, that it can lift 

 an elephant from the ground, high enough to kill it by the 

 fall!. 



M. de SaJerne. J fays, that, one of this kind was Ihot in France y 

 in the year 17 19, which weighed eighteen pounds, and whofe 

 extent of wing was eighteen feet. But to come nearer the truth, 

 perhaps we had better abide by thofe whofe defcriptions bear a 

 moderate proportion. 



In Hawkefwortb's Voyages §, mention is made of one of thefe 

 birds, fhot at Port Defire, off Penguin IJland; the defcription of 

 which, will ferve our purpofe : — " The head of this bird re- 

 " fembled that of an eagle, except that it had a large comb upon 

 " it. Round the neck, it had a white ruff, exaftly refembling a 

 " lady's tippet : the feathers on the back as black as jet, and as. 



* Frefier Voy. de la Mer Sud. p. hi. 



■J- Marc Paul Defcrip. Geog. b. 3. ch. 40. 



X Ornith. de Sakrne, p. 10. 

 §.Vol. i. p. 15.. 



«*■ bright. 



