6 CONDOR VULTURE. 



the straits of Magellan by Captain Middleton, and 

 the circumstance of its not having the least ap- 

 pearance of a comb on the head, together with 

 some other particulars incline me to suppose it 

 either a young bird or a female. The extent of 

 its wings from tip to tip is not far short of ten feet : 

 the beak is of a dark lead-colour, and grows 

 gradually whitish towards the tip: the head and 

 ne€k are destitute of feathers, but are covered with 

 a short, straggling sort of hairy down: the top of 

 the head inclines to a dark colour, but the rest of 

 the neck is paler, and I make no doubt but that 

 in the living bird it was of a reddish colour. To- 

 wards the lower part of the neck, where it joins the 

 shoulders, is a ruff or circle of white downy fea- 

 thers, exactly resembling the appearance of rabbits' 

 fur; and beneath the breast is a considerable bare 

 space : all the rest of the bird is black, except the 

 shorter or secondary wing-feathers, which are 

 white with black tips : the legs and feet are blackish, 

 very strong, but the claws not much incurvated: 

 the tail even at the end, and very slightly rounded 

 at the sides. On comparing the remiges or wing- 

 feathers of this bird with some of those which 

 were brought over by Mr. Byron as those of the 

 real Condor, I found them to be exactly similar 

 except in size. 



I cannot but add, that in both the above speci- 

 mens the physiognomy of this bold and formidable 

 Vulture is not of a ferocious cast, but rather ex- 

 hibits an appearance almost bordering on mild- 

 ness. 



