Birds. 6801 



One of the winglets is attached to the main wing on the outside 

 by a flexible joint, and the other winglet is attached to the under 

 part of the main wing in the same manner. These extra wings are 

 only seen when the bird opens its wrings in rising, or when at a short 

 distance from the ground; but when standing at rest they are folded 

 so as not to be noticed. The under winglet, when flying, is extended 

 beyond the main wing ; but the upper winglet is smaller, more com- 

 pact, and closer to the body ; both of these winglets being opposite 

 to the wing-joint of the body at the base of the neck. The bird he 

 represents is as beautiful as it is envious, and, as all three informants 

 state, much sought after and highly prized in Sonora. It seems that 

 only two or three specimens have ever been known to be captured, 

 which may account for its not being mentioned in any of the books 

 on hand in California. 



This bird may be taken by some readers as only a description of 

 the Mexican small vulture, called the king of the zopilotes ; or the 

 small condors of the Laplala pampas, called the king of the vultures, 

 or king of the condors ; or the Sarcoramphus sacer, or sacred vulture 

 of Bartram. But, from the descriptions of these rare birds, which we 

 give herewith for ready comparison, it will be seen that there are 

 many points of material difference between them. 



King of the Zopilotes. " The Cozcaquahtl is called, by the Mexi- 

 cans of the city and valley of Mexico, the king of the zopilotes, or 

 king of the Turkey buzzards ; and they say that when these two spe- 

 cies happen to meet together over the same carrion, the zopilote 

 which is found in all the climates of Mexico, never begins to eat till 

 the other bird has tasted it. They are both mute, and sometimes fly 

 together. The king of the zopilotes is larger than the zopilote, has a 

 red head and red feet, with a beak of a deep red colour, except 

 towards its extremity, which is white ; it is much scarcer than the 

 zopilote, and is peculiar to the warm climates alone. Its feathers are 

 brown, except upon the neck and parts about the breast, which are of 

 a reddish black. The wings are of an ash-colour upon the inside, 

 and upon the outside are variegated with black and tawny. Bomare 

 says that the Aura (pronounced Owra, for the Turkey buzzard, by the 

 Mexicans) is the Cosquath of New Spain, and the Tropilot of the 

 Indians; so that Cozcaquahtl andTropolotl are both native Mexican- 

 Indian names for two different birds. But the bird which now goes 

 by the name of the king of the zopilotes, in New Spain, seems diffe- 

 rent from the one which we are describing. This is a strong bird, of 

 the size of a common eagle, with stately air, strong claws, fine 

 XVIII. c 



