BLACK VULTURE, OR CARRION CROW. 17 



la the adult, the head and upper part of the neck are destitute of feathers, 

 having a red wrinkled skin, sparsely covered with short black hair, and 

 downy behind. Feathers of the neck full and rounded, concealing the naked 

 crop. Wings ample, long; the first quill rather short, the third and fourth 

 longest. Tail longish, rounded, of twelve broad straight feathers. 



Bill at the tip yellowish-white; the cere and the naked part of the head of 

 a tint approaching to blood-red. Iris dark brown. Feet flesh-coloured, 

 tinged with yellow; claws black. The general colour of the plumage is 

 blackish-brown, deepest on the neck and under parts, the wing-coverts broadly 

 margined with brown; the back glossed with brown and greenish tints; the 

 tail purplish-black; the under parts of a sooty brown, on the breast glossed 

 with green. 



Length 32 inches; extent of wings 6 feet 4 inches; bill 2-| along the ridge, 

 2 T 2 2 along the gap; tarsus 2 \, middle toe 3^. 



Young fully fledged. 



The bill is, of course, shorter and more slender, its horny tip pale blue, 

 black on the back; the skin of the head is flesh-coloured, the iris yellowish, 

 the feet flesh-coloured. The plumage is nearly of the same colour as in the 

 adult. 



BLACK VULTURE, OR CARRION CROW. 



-+ Cathartes atratus, Wilson. 

 PLATE III.— Male and Female. 



This bird is a constant resident in all our southern States, extends far up 

 the Mississippi, and continues the whole year in Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, 

 and even in the State of Ohio as far as Cincinnati. Along the Atlantic coast 

 it is, I believe, rarely seen farther east than Maryland. It seems to give 

 a preference to maritime districts, or the neighbourhood of water. Although 

 shy in the woods, it is half domesticated in and about our cities and villages, 

 where it finds food without the necessity of using much exertion. Charles- 

 ton, Savannah, New Orleans, Natchez, and other cities, are amply provided 

 with these birds, which may be seen flying or walking about the streets the 

 whole day in groups. They also regularly attend the markets and shambles, 

 to pick up the pieces of flesh thrown away by the butchers, and, when an 

 opportunity occurs, leap from one bench to another, for the purpose of help- 



Vol. I. 2 



