32 VULTURES. 



Tribe of Vultures. 



9. The Vultures, — Vultur, — are recognised by the nakedness 

 of a portion of the head or even of the neck, and by the form of 

 their beak which is elongated and curved only at the end. 

 (Plate 3, fig. 4, and 6.) 



10. These birds have a disagreeable aspect, a tainted odour, 

 and their habits excite disgust ; they are cowardly, and feed on 

 the most putrid carrion rather than on living prey. The power 

 of their talons does not correspond to their size, and they make 

 use of their beak rather than of their claws. They are extremely 

 voracious : but after they have been complely satiated, it seems, 

 they can wait several weeks for an opportunity of feeding again. 

 After they have eaten, their crop forms a large projection above 

 the fourchette ; they become dull and stupid, and a sanguineous, 

 foetid humor flows from the nose. The sense of smell in these 

 animals is veiy fine, and enables them to perceive at incredible 

 distances, the remains of dead bodies, which they seek for food. 



11. In Peru, Egypt, and some countries of the East, they are 

 very useful to man, for they serve to cleanse the streets of animal 

 remains that it is customary to throw there, and they may. be 

 seen promenading many towns, in small bands, and watching even 

 in the houses for recent or putrid dead bodies. 



12. Vultures liv^e, generally, in pairs; they prefer building 

 their nests on inaccessible rocks, and construct them of pieces 

 of wood, joined together by a sort of mortar : the young are 

 covered with down when born, and are fed on half digested food, 

 which is disgorged by their parents before them. 



13. Their wings are so long, that when they walk, they keep 

 them half extended, and they often experience difficulty in taking 

 to flight after alighting on the ground ; their ascent is slow but 

 well sustained, and is always effected obliquely and by constantly 

 turning about. 



1 i. The tribe of Vultures is divided into four genera, namely: the 

 Vultures properiy so called, the Sarcoramphus^the Cathartes, and 

 the Percnopterus, whic h are distinguished in the following manner: 



9. How are Vultures recognised ? 



10. What is the general character of Vultures ? 



11. In what way do Vultures make themselves useful to man? 



12. What is the condition of Vultures when first born ? Upon what do 

 they feed ? 



13. Do. Vultures rise into the air readily from the ground ? 



14. How is the tribe of Vultures divided? How is the Sarcoramphus 

 distinguished from the Vulture properly so called P In what respect does 

 the Cathartes ditrer from those two genera ? How does the Per'cnopierus 

 differ from the Cathartes? 



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