TURKEY VULTURE. 125 
Jand than others of the genus. It grows fat in the stormy 
season, from the waves bringing plenty of crabs and small fish 
within its reach. It is not a very crafty bird, and may be 
easily taken. It varies to quite white, and sometimes is found 
with a reddish breast.* 
To the anatomist, the internal organisation of this species 
is deserving attention : it is so constructed as to be capable of 
contracting or dilating itself at pleasure. We know not what 
Nature intends by this conformation, unless it be to facilitate 
diving, for which the compressed form is well adapted ; and 
likewise the body, when expanded, will be rendered more 
buoyant, and fit for the purpose of swimming upon the surface 
of the water. 
TURKEY VULTURE, OR TURKEY BUZZARD. 
(Vultur aura.) 
PLATE LXXV.—Ficg. 1. 
Vultur aura, Linn. Syst. ed. 10, tom. i. p. 86, 4.—Ind. Orn. p. 4, No. 8.— 
Vieillot, Ois. deVAm. Sep. i. p. 25, pl. 2, vis.—Carrion Crow, Sloane, Jam. ii. 
p. 294, fol. 254.—Carrion Vulture, Lath. Gen. Syn. i. p. 9.—Le Vautour du 
Brésil, Briss. i. p. 468.—Turkey Buzzard, Catesby, Car. i. p. 6.—Bartram’s 
Travels, p. 289.—Cozca quantitti, Clavigero, Hist. Mex. i. p. 47, Eng. trans. 
—American Vulture, Shaw, Gen. Zool. vii. p. 36.—Peale’s Museum, No. 11, 
m.; 12, fem. 
CATHARTES AURA.—ILLIGER.+ 
Cathartes aura, Illig. Prod.—Bonap. Synop. p. 35.—North. Zool. ii. p. 4. 
THis species is well known throughout the United States, but 
is most numerous in the southern section of the Union. In 
* Latham ; Pennant. 
+ The vultures are comparatively a limited race, and exist in every 
quarter of the world, New Holland excepted ;* but their range is 
chiefly in the warm latitudes. 
Those of the New World seem to be contained in two genera, Sarco- 
* I have said ‘‘ New Holland excepted,” because we have yet no well authen- 
ticated instance of anything approaching this form from that very interesting 
country. The New Holland vulture of Latham rests, to a certain extent, on 
dubious authority, and cannot now be referred to. I have no doubt that some 
representing group will be ultimately discovered, which may perhaps elucidate 
