( 2 ) 
l^he King of the Vultures. 
^ H I S' Bird is about the Bignefs of a Hen-Turkey. I believe it is fomething lefi^ 
Jl^ than the greater Sort of VulUires ^ nor has it fuch large Wings in Proportion. 
The Bill is pretty thick and ftrong, ftraight for a little way, then bends into a Hook, 
and over-hangs the lower Mandible- it is red at the Point, and black in the middle 
Part* the Bale of the Bill, both upper and lower Mandibles, are cover'd with a Skin, 
of an orange Colour,, broad, and pointing to the Crown of the Head, on each Side 
above, in which Spaces are placed the Noftrils, of an oblong Shape: Between the 
Noflrils is a loofe flap of Skin, fcolloped, which falls indifferently on either Side of the 
Bill, when the Bird moves its Head. The Iris of the Eye is of a bright, pearly 
Whitenefs ; round the Eye, is an indifferent broad fpace of Scarlet Skin; the Head and 
Neck are cover'd with bare Skin; the Crown of a dirty, Flefh-colour, toward the Bill,., 
and Scarlet in the hinder Part, behind which is. a little Tuft of black Hairs From this 
Tuft p-oceeds, on each Side, and parts the Head .from the Neck, a fort of Stay of 
wrinkled Skin, of a brov/nifh Colour, with a little Blue and Red in its hinder Part: 
The Sides of the Plead are of a black or dirty Colour, with Spots of brownifh Purpk 
behind the Angles of the Mouth ; the Sides of the Neck are red, which gradually 
becomes yellow in its fore Part; there runs a dirty, yellow Lift down the hind Part of 
the Neck; and at the bottom of the Neck, a: Ruff of loofe, foft,^afh-colour'd Feathers,, 
quite round, in which, by Contradion, it can hide its whole Neck and Sides of the 
Head ; the Breaft, Belly, Thighs, and covert Feathers under the Tail are White, or a 
little inclining to Cream-colour; the back and upper Part of the Wings is of a light,,, 
fedifti brown, inclining to Buff-colour;, the Rump and upper covert Feathers of the 
Tail are White; the Quill-feathers of the Wings, black; fome of the middle-moft 
%ills have their Shafts edged with white ; the Row of Coverts, next above the Quills;., 
5S black, with light, brown Edges ; the Tail is wholly black ; tho' Mr. Jlbm makes ’ 
it blaek only at the End ; the Legs and Feet are of a dirty, white Colour ; the forward 
Toes are joined a little way by a Membrane ; the Claws are black, not fo great nor, 
orooked as in Eagles. 
This Bird I drew at Sir Hans Sloane'% where it lived fome Years.. I havefeen three 
or four of them ; but could difeover no fuch Craw of bare Skin, as Albm\\ 2 a figured.. 
The People who made a Shew of this Bird in London, told me it was brought from the 
Eaft Indies f tho' I believe it rather to come from the Weft, I have feen an old Dutch 
Print of thisv Bird, very inegrred, intitled, Rex Warwouwarum, ex India Occident all.. 
Mr. Rerry,^ a great Dealer in foreign Birds and Beafts, has aflured me thefe Birds are 
brought only from America, Albin fuppofes it to be like the Brafilian Vulture, called, 
Wruhii, Willoughby, ft 68. tho' it differs widely from that which is no other than the 
Turkey Buzard, deferibed in Catesbyft Hiftory of Carolina, H^d Mr, Albin been^ 
tolerably corxca:. in ; his. Figure of this Bird, I ftiould not have publifhcd a fecond. 
Draught. 
Thje 
