NORTH AMERICA. 
I49 
well as his head ; the bare fkin on the neck appears 
loofe and wrinkled, and is of a deep bright yel- 
low colour, intermixed with coral red; the hinder 
part of the neck is nearly covered with fhort, ftiff 
hair; and the fkin of this part of the neck is of a 
dun-purple colour, gradually becoming red as it 
approaches the yellow of the fides and fore part. 
The crown of the head is red; there are lobed lap- 
pets of a reddilh orange colour, which lie on the 
bafe of the upper mandible. But what is fingular, 
a large portion of the ftomach hangs down on the 
breaft of the bird, in the likenefs of a fack or half 
wallet, and feems to be a duplicature of the craw, 
which is naked and of a reddifh flefh colour; this is 
partly concealed by the feathers of the breaft, unlefs 
when it is loaded with food (which is commonly, I 
believe, roafted reptiles), and then it appears promi- 
nent. The plumage of the bird is generally white or 
cream colour, except the quill-feathers of the wings 
and two or three rows of the coverts, which are of a 
beautiful dark brown; the tail, which is large and 
white, Is tipped with this dark brown or black; the 
legs and feet of a clear white; the eye is encircled 
with a gold coloured iris; the pupil black. 
The Creeks or Mufcogulges conftrud their royal 
ftandard of the tail feather of this bird, which is call- 
ed by a name fignifying the eagle’s tail: this they 
carry with them when they go to battle, but then it 
is painted with a zone of red within the brown tips ; 
and in peaceable negociations it is difplayed new, 
clean, and white : this ftandard is held moft facred 
by them on all occafions, and is conftrucfted and or- 
namented with great ingenuity. Thefe birds feldom 
appear but when the deferts are fet on fire (which 
happens almoft every day throughout the year, in 
L j fome 
