22 
BLACK VULTURE. 
neck feathers below tlie caruncled skin much inflated, and very thick ; 
the general color of the plumage is a dull black, except the primaries, 
■which are whitish on the inside, and have four of their broadened edges 
below of a drab, or dark cream color, extending two inches, which is seen 
only when the wing is unfolded, the shafts of the feathers white on both 
sides ; the rest of the wing feathers dark on both sides ; secondaries, 
scapulars and tail, with a slight coppery gloss ; the wings when folded 
are about the length of the tail, the fifth feather being the longest ; the 
secondaries are two inches shorter than the tail, which is composed of 
twelve feathers, and slightly forked, or nearly square ; the exterior 
feathers three-quarters of an inch longer than the rest ; the legs are of a 
dirty limy white, three inches and a half in length, and, with the feet, are 
thick and strong ; the middle toe, including the claw, is four inches long, 
side toes two inches, and connected to the middle as far as the first joint ; 
inner toe rather the shortest ; hind toe pointing inward ; claws strong, 
but not sharp like those of the Falco genus, middle claw three-quarters 
of an inch long ; the stomach is not lined with hair as reported. When 
opened, this bird smells strongly of musk, so much so as to be quite 
offensive. Sexes nearly alike. 
Mr. Abbot informs me that the Carrion Crow builds its nest in the 
large trees of the low wet swamps, to which places they retire every 
evening to roost. "They frequent," says he, "that part of the town 
of Savannah where the hog-butchers reside, and walk about the streets, 
in great numbers, like domestic fowls. It is diverting to see, when the 
entrails and offals of the hogs are thrown to them, with what greediness 
they scramble for the food, seizing upon it, and pulling one against 
another until the strongest prevails. The Turkey-buzzard is accused 
of killing young lambs and pigs, by picking out their eyes, but I believe 
that the Carrion Crow is not guilty of the like practices." When taken 
alive, this bird bites excessively hard, and its bill, which is very sharp 
on its edges, is capable of inflicting severe wounds, as I myself expe- 
rienced. 
It is really astonishing that the European naturalists should so long 
have overlooked the difference which there is between this species and 
the Turkey-buzzard, in their external conformation. Their heads are 
differently shaped ; their bills and nostrils are considerably unlike ; and 
the arrangement of the neck plumage is entirely dissimilar, as our figures 
will show. The Turkey-buzzard's neck, along the oesophagus, as far as 
the breast bone, is bare of feathers, though this nakedness is concealed 
by the adjacent plumage ; the same part in the Carrion Crow is com- 
pletely clothed. The down of both species has the same cottony 
appearance. 
The' drab color on the primaries is not visible when the wing is closed, 
consequently the marking on the wing of our figure is incorrect. 
