74 BIRDS OF THE WORLD 



the eye — the part corresponding to the whites of 

 human eyes ; the rest of the eye is golden yellow with 

 a black pupil. There are curious tufts of stiff feathers 

 like bristles at the base of the bill. The plumage is 

 brown streaked with white. 



The Lammergeier is very powerful in flight, 

 traversing great distances in search of its food, which 

 consists of small mammals and carrion. Bones ap- 

 peal to be a great delicacy, and to smash these the 

 bird is said to drop them from a great height upon 

 rocks below. 



The King Vulture of the New World is a wonder- 

 ful bird that is by no means well known. It receives 

 its name from the fact that it drives away from a 

 carcass the smaller birds of prey until its own appetite 

 is sated. It is found in the higher mountain regions 

 of South and Central America, and occasionally comes 

 as far north as Texas and Florida. One of the most 

 remarkable features of the male is the curious fleshy 

 wattle which surrounds the beak, while the bare skin 

 of the head is most brilliantly coloured with varying 

 shades of orange, purple, crimson, and black. The 

 upper parts of the body are creamy white, the long 

 wing- and tail-feathers black. The plumage of the 

 female is much less conspicuous, the upper parts being 

 dark instead of white, and lacking the brilliant colours 

 on the head. See Plate 2, Fig. 5, 



The South American Condor is a near relative of 

 the King Vulture, but greatly its superior in size. 

 With the possible exception of the succeeding species, 

 it is the largest of all Birds of Prey. See Plate 1, 

 Fig. 1. 



