72 



CASSELLS BOOK OF BIRDS. 



middle, and black at its base ; the feet are blackish grey, and the eye of a silvery whiteness. The 

 plumage of the young is of an uniform nut brown, darkest upon the back and rump ; the lower part of 

 the thighs is white. The length of this species has been variously estimated — Tschudi gives it as 

 thirty-two, Burmeister as thirty-four inches. Its breadth is about sixty-seven inches and a half, the 

 wing measures twenty, and the tail nine inches. The female is larger than her mate, but has a some- 

 what smaller wattle. 



THE CONDOR (Sarcorhamphus gryphus, or Sarcorhamphus condor). 



The King of the Vultures is found throughout all the lowland provinces of South America, from 

 thirty -two degrees south latitude as far as Mexico, Teja, and Florida, where it usually frequents the 

 primitive forests or fertile plains. It is occasionally met with upon mountains, at an altitude of 5,000 

 feet above the level of the sea, but is never seen in barren districts or upon bare rocks. This species 

 mainly subsists upon carrion, and morning has scarcely dawned before it may be seen sweeping over 

 the face of the country, in search of the carcase of some creature that has fallen a victim to the jaguar, 

 or one of the many beasts of prey that abound in large forests. Such a repast once found, the bird 

 does not immediately fall to and gorge itself after the manner of most Vultures, but seats itself at some 



