126 



THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 



which, like all the rest, is closely connected with the habits 

 of the birds. Thus it has been pointed out that in other 

 groups a falling off or thinning of the feathers is the fre- 

 quent result of feeding upon flesh, especially when in a state 

 of decay. The bareness of these parts in the Vultures ena- 

 bles them moreover to burrow in the putrid carcasses on 

 which they prey without risk of soiling their plumage. 



Their largely extended nostrils and the great internal 

 developement of these organs would seem to be of manifest 

 use in guiding the Vultures to their prey, which they are 

 generally believed to scent from an immense distance. It 

 has, however, been lately maintained by a most acute obser- 

 ver of the habits of birds, Mr. Audubon, that this belief, 

 which has been entertained from the earliest antiquity, is 

 founded in error, and that the Vultures are directed to their 

 prey by sight alone, the lofty pitch at which they fly and 

 the surpassing excellence of their vision enabling them to 

 detect it at an almost inconceivable distance. Several of 

 the experiments brought forward by that gentleman in sup- 

 jiortof his hypothesis, appear at first sight almost decisive 

 of the question; but we cannot consent to abandon the re- 

 ceived opinion, corroborated as it is to the fullest extent by 

 the anatomical structure of the organs of smell, until repeated 

 'experiments shall have placed the fact beyond the possi- 

 bility of doubt. 



It is almost unnecessary to point out the great utility of 

 the strong deep curved bill of most of the Vultures in tear- 

 ing to pieces the carcasses on which they feed, and consign- 

 ing them in large masses to their maws. The nakedness of 

 their legs may be regarded as dependent on the same causes 

 and serving the same purposes as that of their heads and 

 necks. But the character which has the strongest influence 

 on Iheireconoraymustbesoughtforinthestructureof their 

 claws. While the Falcons are enabled by means of their 

 strongly curved, sharp-pointed, and highly retractile talons, 

 to seize their victims with an irresistible grasp and to con- 

 vey them through the air, the Vultures are restricted by the 

 obtuseness of tliose organs, their want of the necessary cur- 

 vature, and the almost total absence of retractility, to the 

 use of their beaks alone in the seizure of their prey, which 

 they are quite incapable of transporting with them in their 

 flight, and are consequently compelled to devour upon the 

 spot. It is to this simple modification in structure that they 

 are chiefly indebted for that propensity for preying upon 

 carrion, which has obtained for them all the opprobrious 

 epithets that stigmatize them throughout the world. 



The Vulture family, which formed but a single genus in 

 the Linnasan classification, has since been divided into seve- 

 ral groups, some of which appear to us to be still capable, 

 and deserving alsoof further subdivision. We have already 

 spoken of the South American group, of which the Condor 



furnishes the most conspicuous example; and we have now 

 to turn our attention toanothersection, almost equally typi- 

 cal in the family, the representatives of which are scattered 

 over the three divisions of the Old Continent. It is in this 

 section more particularly that we conceive a further separa- 

 tion of species both practicable and desirable. M. Savigny 

 has already effected it to a certain extent by the establish- 

 ment of two well marked generator the reception of the two 

 European species; and Mr. Vigors has pointed out the pro- 

 priety of separating the Angola Vulture of Pennant from the 

 rest of the group. To these three strongly marked forms 

 we would add the bird which furnishes the subject of the 

 next following article as the type of a fourth, with which 

 wedoubtnotthatthePondicherry Vulture of Latham would 

 form a natural association. Of the remaining species we 

 will not venture to speak, nothavingyet enjoyed the oppor- 

 tunity of examining them in nature. 



The essential characters of the entire section consist, in 

 addition to all the characteristic marks of the family, in the 

 almost total want of feathers on the head and neck; in the 

 position of the eyes on a level with the general surface of 

 the head; in the prominence of the crop, which is covered 

 by a naked and highly extensible portion of skin; in the 

 transverse position of the nostrils at the baseof astrongbeak 

 not surmounted by a fleshy caruncle; in the exposure of 

 theirauditory openings, which have no elevated margin; in 

 the great strength of their legs; the comparative weakness 

 of their blunt and unretractile claws; and the shortness of 

 their first quill-feather, which is of equal length with the 

 sixth, the third and fourth being the longest of the series. 

 To these may be added the usually great elongation of their 

 necks; the fleshy consistence of their tongues; the prolonga- 

 tion of the middle toe, which is united to the outer by a 

 membranous expansion at the base, but quite distinct from 

 the inner, the latterbeing the shortest of the three, and about 

 equal in length to the posterior or thumb; and the length of 

 the wings, which extend when closed beyond the extremity 

 of the tail. The wings are, however, rarely brought close 

 to the body, even when the bird is completely at rest; and 

 this circumstance, together with the somewhat crouching 

 posture in which the Vultures are compelled, by their defi- 

 ciency in the power of grasping, to sustain themselves, has 

 been frequently adverted to as affording a striking contrast 

 with the bold, upright, and collected bearing of the Eagles. 

 In subdividing the European Vultures, JNI. Savigny has 

 characterized that which forms the subject of the j)resent 

 article by its naked transversely elongated andlunulate nos- 

 trils; its tongue fringed with sharp points; and its tail com- 

 posed of fourteen feathers. Its head and neck are covered 

 with a short, thick, white down, which is wanting only at 

 the lower part in front coi'responding with the situaliuu of 



