HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



6S 



birds ; the one, the Zopilote properly fo called, the other 

 called the Cozcaquauhtli : they are both bigger than the 

 raven. Thefe two fpecies refemble each other in their 

 hooked bill and crooked claws, and by having upon their 

 head inftead of feathers, a wrinkled membrane with fome 

 curling hairs. They fly fo high, that although they are 

 pretty large, they are loft to the fight ; and efpecially 

 before a hail ftorm they will be fcen wheeling, in vail 

 numbers, under the loftieft clouds, till they entirely dif- 

 appear. They feed upon carrion, which they difcover 

 by the acntenefs of their fight and fmell, from the great- 

 eft height, and defcend upon it with a majeftic flight, in 

 a great fpiral courfe. They are both almoft mute. The 

 two fpecies are diftinguifliable, however, by their fize, 

 their colour, their numbers, and fome other peculiarities. 

 The Zopilots, properly fo called, have black feathers, , 

 with a brown head, bill and feet ; they go often in flocks, 

 and rooft together upon trees Qc). This fpecies is very 

 numerous, and is to be found in all the different climates ; 

 while on the contrary, the Cozcaquauhtli is far from nu- 

 merous, and is peculiar to the warmer climates alone. 

 The latter bird is larger than the Zopilot, has a red head 

 and feet with a beak of a deep red colour, except to- 

 wards its extremity which is white. Its feathers are 

 brown except upon the neck and parts about the breaft, 

 which are of a reddifti black. The wings are of an afht 



colour 



the Aura i% the Cofquauth of New Spain, and the Tropilot of the Indians ; fo that 

 the Cozcaquauhtli, as well as the Tzopilotl, are Mexican names ufed by the Indi- 

 ans, to denote not one bird only, but two different kinds. Some give the one 

 fpecies the name of Aura, and the other that of Zopilote^ or Gallinazzo. 



{x) The Zopilots contradidl the general rule, laid down by Pliny, lib. ix. cap. 

 19. Uncos ungues habentia omn'ino non congrtgantur, tS* fib'i quaque pradantur. The 

 lule can only apply ftridtly to real birds of prey, fuch as eagles, vultures, fal- 

 cons, fparrow-hawks, 3cc. 



