ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



461 



The male is distinguished by a large fleshy 

 comb or caruncle which adorns the head. The 

 bare head and neck are wrinkled and of a dull 

 reddish or leaden color, while the glossy black 

 plumage of the body is surmounted by a fluffy 

 collar of softest, whitest down. The body 

 plumage is entirely black, while the exposed 

 portions of the wing feathers are white, — a 

 striking pattern when the bird extends its wide 

 pinions to the morning sun. 



THE KING VULTURE. 



As the Condor reigns supreme among the 

 great peaks of the southern Andes, so the King 

 Vulture dominates the lowland forest regions. 

 Its range is therefore much more extensive — 

 reaching Paraguay in the south, becoming most 

 abundant in Brazil and showing its splendid 

 form high in air as far north as Mexico. By 

 preference it haunts the wooded banks of rivers 

 and the depths of impenetrable swamps, but 

 from its lofty, aerial outlook it commands many 

 square miles of varied territory, and will be 

 found wherever a promise of a feast comes with- 

 in its keen range of vision. 



Tlie name of "King" is given it because of a 

 wide-spread belief among the native Indians 

 that all other vultures stand in awe of it, and 

 that they invariably remain in the background 

 until the royal appetite is appeased. When 

 wild its food is chiefly carrion — but not appa- 

 rently from choice, since in captivity it seems 

 to prefer fresh meat. 



Although not uncommon in some parts of its 

 range, little has been recorded concerning the 

 life history of the King Vulture. Two white 

 eggs are laid, and the nest is said to be occa- 

 sionally placed in the hollow of a dead tree. 



During the first two or three years of life the 

 colors are dark and obscure, but when fully 

 adult the King Vulture is gorgeous. The head 

 and neck are variegated with bare patches of red 

 and yellow, while prominent folds and wrinkles 

 of skin extend around the crown and down the 

 neck. A bright yellow caruncle decorates the 

 base of the beak and the iris is of a conspicu- 

 ous white hue. A collar of gray is succeeded 

 by a delicate cream color, and the rest of the 

 body plumage is black and white. 



A pair of King Vultures was purchased in 

 June, 1905, and lived in the Zoological Park 

 until a year ago when the male bird died. The 

 female is at present in full color and plumage. 

 and in perfect health. These two birds afford 

 an excellent illustration of that individuality 

 which is so strongly marked a character of most 

 members of this great class of living beings. 

 From first to last the male was wild, shy and 

 nervous, showing no desire to make friends with 



his keeper, and resenting every attempt at fa- 

 miliarity. The female bird became tame after a 

 week and ever since has been noted for her 

 quiet ways and confidence in her keeper. She 

 courts attention and is never so contented as 

 when being played with and petted. Two crea- 

 tures more unlike in temperament could not be 

 imagined. 



When, in the tropics, one watches the ever 

 present lesser vultures wheeling and floating like- 

 black motes high against the skv, it always 

 brings a thrill of delight when one sees the sun 

 flash out from the white feathers which indicate 

 that the King Vulture is abroad. 

 ( To be continued.) 



THE BISON SOCIETY FUND. 



THE United States Government has formally 

 selected as the range for the Montana Na- 

 tional Bison Herd the site that was recom- 

 mended by the American Bison Society. It con- 

 sists of twenty square miles of fine grazing 

 grounds at Ravalli, Montana, with a frontage of 

 seven miles on the Jocko River. The land will 

 cost the government about .$30,000, and the fenc- 

 ing will cost $10,000 more. Both these sums 

 have been provided by a Congressional appro- 

 priation, and in a few months the range will be 

 ready for occupancy. 



For three months the President of the Bison 

 Society has been calling for subscriptions of 

 money with which to buy the nucleus herd that 

 the Society is pledged to present to the nation 

 as soon as the range is ready. Despite the difficul- 

 ties of a canvass in midsummer, the total fund 

 now in hand amounts to $3,050. This is a very 

 fair beginning, — but it leaves $7,000 yet to be 

 raised ! Every state has been appealed to for 

 contributions, chiefly through the Mayors and 

 Boards of Trade of the cities having a popula- 

 tion of 30.000 or above. Thus far not one dol- 

 lar has been received from or through any one 

 of the 118 mayors who have been called upon 

 for cooperation ! Whether the Boards of Trade 

 will do any better, remains to be seen; for this 

 canvass will at least be illuminating. 



It was the business interests of this country, 

 represented by men who desired robes to sell at 

 $2.50 each, that exterminated the bison millions 

 thirty years ago. To-day it is the plain duty 

 of business men of America to lend a hand in 

 the effort that is to leave for future generations 

 of Americans something more than bleaching 

 bones, and records of shameful slaughter. 



Members of the Zoological Society are now 

 invited, and also urged, to participate in this 

 work by sending subscriptions, in sums of all 



