CATIIARTES ATRATUS. 
14 
to the northward of Newborn, North Carolina,* b"* 
inhabits the whole continent, to the so\ithward, as b’J. 
as Cape Horn. Don Ulloa, in noticing the birds 
Carthagena, gives an account of a vulture, which 
shall quote, iu order to establish the opinion, advani'‘^ 
in the preceding history, that it is the present specie’’ 
We shall afterwards siilijoin other testimony iu coulh' 
matiou of this opinion. With respect to the marvcllo'l’] 
tale of their attacking the cattle in the |>astures, it 
too improbable to merit a serious refutation. . 
“ It would he too great an undertakiug to describe nb 
the extraordinary birds that inhabit this country ; bid 
I cannot refrain from noticing that to which they gi'* 
the name of gallinazo, from the resemblance it lias t® 
the tiirkeyheii. This bird is of the size of a peahri*’ 
but its head and neck are something larger. From th* 
crop to the base of the bill it has no feathers : tiid 
space is surrounded with a wrinkled, glandnlous, ai'® 
rough skin, which forms numerous warts, and oths^ 
similar inequalities. This skin is black, as is the pi®' 
mage of the bird, but usually of a brownish black. Tb^ 
bill is u'ell proportioned, strong, and a little hookc®- 
These birds are familiar in Carthagena; the tops of tb® I 
houses are covered with them; it is they which cleans® 
the city of all its animal impurities. There arc fc® 
animals killed whereof they do not obtain the offals ’ 
and when this food is wanting, they have recourse I® 
other filth. Their sense of smelling is so acute, that d 
enables them to trace carrion at the distance of thi'e® 
or four leagues, which they do not abandon until thef 
remains nothing but the skideton. 
“ The great number of these birds found iu such b®‘ 
climates, is an excellent provision of nature ; as, othet" 
wise, the putrefaction caused by the constant and exce®” 
sive heat, would render the air insupportable to hum®® 
life. When first they take wing, they fly heavily ; b® 
* Since writing the above, I have been informed by a gentleni^ 
who resides at Detroit, on Lake Erie, that the carrion croW 
common at that place. 
