VULTURID^E. O 



the other summer birds. In the southern districts, where the Turkey Vultures 

 are permanent residents, they are gregarious, roost in flocks, and are often seen 

 in companies, soaring to an immense height ; but on the banks of the Saskat- 

 chewan seldom more than one pair are seen at a time ; and they were described to 

 me as being in the habit of sailing along with great rapidity, in undulated lines, 

 under the high banks of the river. I quitted that part of the country too early in 

 the season to have an opportunity of seeing them ; but the species has been 

 identified by a specimen from thence preserved in the Museum of the Hudson's 

 Bay Company. 



The food of the Turkey Vulture is carrion, which it discovers from a great dis- 

 tance ; and, when it has an opportunity, it will gorge itself to such a degree, as 

 to be incapable of rising. It seldom or never attacks living animals, and is highly 

 beneficial to the districts it frequents, by removing putrid substances. 



DESCRIPTION 

 Of the Specimen in the Hudson's Bay Museum. 



Colour, brownish-black, deepest on the neck, breast, belly, and between the scapularies. 

 There are some purplish reflexions on the dorsal aspect, with a considerable degree of metallic 

 lustre. The scapularies, secondaries, and greater and lesser wing-coverts, have paler margins. 

 The quill feathers are brownish-black, with light umber-brown shafts ; underneath they are 

 lead-coloured. The tail is blacker. The naked parts of the head and neck are reddish, the 

 legs are flesh-coloured, and the claws have a dark horn-colour. 



Form, &c. — The bill measures, from the angle of the mouth, two inches and a quarter, 

 and is moderately thick and straight from its base to beyond its middle. The upper man- 

 dible is covered by cere for more than half its length, and its ridge is slightly arched ; its 

 horny point, an inch long, swells out a little, and has a more decided curvature ; the cutting 

 margin is undulated, the hook which terminates it is rather small. The under mandible has a 

 deep spout-shaped cavity for the lodgment of its grooved tongue, and its tip is rounded. 

 The nostrils, large, oval, naked, and pervious, are longitudinal, and placed nearer to the rido-e 

 of the mandible than to its cutting edge*. The wrinkled skin of the head and upper 

 part of the neck is thinly clothed with short black hairs, mixed, on the upper aspect, with 

 down of the same colour. The plumage of the lower part of the neck is full and compact, 

 like that of the back, the feathers being rounded and closely tiled, not pointed and forming a 

 ruff, as in the Californian Vulture; and the line of junction of the naked skin directly 

 encircles (he neck; while, in the Black Vulture, it descends obliquely in front. The crop is 

 naked and wrinkled, but is concealed by the plumage of the neck swelling over it. 



The tips of the folded winrjs reach to the end of the tail; the third and fourth quill feathers 

 are the longest; the second and fifth are half an inch shorter; and the first is shorter than 



* The Egyptian Vulture has a more slender bill, with an even cutting' margin, and oblong transverse nostrils. The 

 Black Vulture has a bill of an intermediate form, between that of the Turkey Vulture and Egyptian species. 



