304 AVES— ORDER CATHARTIDIFORMES. 



home wilh food, when they give chase, and do not leave the unfortunate 

 bird until it haa disgorged some, if not all, of its food. I have seen a Petrel 

 when thus chased drop on the water from sheer exhaustion ; but even then 

 the Frigate-Bird would not leave it till it had disgorged." 



These very aberrant kinds of Birds of Prey are strictly American, being 



represented in both North and South America by the Turkey Vultures, and 



in. the Andes by the Condors. They differ so much from 



Ths Turkey ordinary Accipitrine birds in their anatomy and osteology 



Vultures.— Order that they are now by common consent kept separate from 



CiUhartidifunnes. the latter, and some ornithologists have even gone so far 



as to suggest that they are more nearly allied to the Storks, 



and even to the Hornbills. Although not true Birds of Prey, I think that 



there can be no doubt that they find their nearest allies in the Vultures of 



the Old World, which they much resemble in their habi's. They have, 



however, a very peculiar nostril, the septum of which is perforated, so that it 



can be seen through. The hind toe is small, but is raised above the level 



of the other toes, and it is connected with the flexor perfurans dvjitorum 



tendon. 



The great Condor of the Andes is the largest and most striking of the 

 Turkey Vultures, but the best-known are the smaller kinds such as the 

 Cathartes aura of North America. In Captain Bendire's work on the Life- 

 histories of North American Birds, we find the following notes on the habits 

 of the species from Dr. VV. L. Ralph : — "In Florida they are abundant and 

 appear to decrease but little in numbers. When not molested they become 

 very tame, and in many of the Southern cities and villages they can be seen 

 walking around the streets or roosting on the house-tops with as little 

 concern as domestic animals. 



"Althc-jgh they eat carrion, these birds prefer fresh meat, and the reason of 

 their eating it when decayed is that they cannot kill game themselves and 

 their bills are not strong enough to tear the tough skin of many animals 

 until it becomes soft from decomposition. I have often had Ducks and other 

 game, whidi I had hung in trees to keep from carnivorous aniraa's, eaten by 

 them. When they find a, dead animal they will not leave it until all but 

 the bones and other hard parts have been consumed, and if it be a large one, 

 or if it have a tough skin, they will often remain near it for days, roosting by 

 night in the trees near by. After they have eaten — and sometimes they will 

 gorge themselves until the food will run otf their mouths when they move— 

 they will, if they are not too full to fly, roost in the nearest trees until their 

 meal is partly digested, and then commence eating again. Many times I 

 have seen these birds in company with the Black Vulture floating down a 

 stream on a dead alligator, cow, or other large animal, crowded so closely 

 together that they could hardly keep tlieir balance, and followed by a number 

 on the wing. I have never seen them fight very much when feeding, but 

 they will scold and peck at one another, and sometimes two birds will get 

 hold of the same piece of meat and pull against each other until it breaks, or 

 until the weaker one has to give it up." 



In this order are included the Secretary Birds, the 

 The Birds of Vultures, Hawks, and Ospreys. The characters ofthe 

 Prey.— Order Secretary Birds are detailc.l below, and their peculiarities 

 AiT'untrifonnes. emphasised, but the Ospreys {Pavdionis) form a well- 

 characterised intermediate group between the Vultures 

 and IIj.wk3 (^Accipitres), and the Owls {Strltjes), possessing certain features 



