AOCirlTUES. BIKDS. VULTUlUDiE. 241 
The head and neck are quite naked, and the skin on 
tliese parts is variously folded. 
The Condor, although undoubtedly one of the largest, 
or perhaps tlie largest of predaceous birds, long 
enjoyed a reputation for size and strength to which 
he was certainly not entitled. This was due to the 
exaggerated accounts of the older travellers in America, 
which led their readers almost to believe that this bird 
rivalled the fabulous Roc of the Arabian writers in 
bulk. It appears, however, from the more trust-worthy 
accounts of modern naturalists, amongst whom we 
may mention especially the late Baron Humboldt and 
his celebrated companion Bonpland, that the Condor 
scarcely exceeds the Liimmergeyer in size and spread 
of wing, the ordinary distance from tip to tip being 
only from nine to eleven feet, and the largest recorded 
expanse fourteen feet. These are about the measure- 
ments of the Liimmergeyer ; and as the length of the 
Fig. 97. 
The Condor (Sarcorhamphus Grjiihus). 
latter bird from the tip of the beak to the extremity of 
the tail, is rather greater than that of a Condor with 
the same expanse of wing, we may consider these 
birds as approaching very closely in size. 
The basal part of the beak in the Condor is browm- 
ish; the tip nearly white. The naked skin of the 
head and neck is of a reddish colour, with a few 
scattered black hairs. The front of the neck, beneath 
the chin, is furnished with a loose membrane, which 
can be dilated at the will of the bird, in the same way 
as the wattles of the turkey-cock. Round the base of 
tbe neck is a frill of white, dovmy feathers, like that 
which has already been described as occurring in other 
species; and the rest of the plumage is black or greyish- 
black, with the exception of the 'wing coverts and the 
secondary qiull feathers, of which the former are white 
Von. I. 31 
at the apex in the male, and the latter along the outer 
margin in both sexes. The legs, which are short and 
very stout, are of a grey colour. The toes exhibit a 
distinct membrane at their base, and are armed with 
rather long and stout, but very slightly curved, black 
claws. The hinder toe is very short, in comparison 
with that of the birds of prey in general. 
The Condor is found along the whole range of the vast 
chain of the Andes, from near the Straits of Magellan to 
the republic of New Granada, a few degrees north of the 
equator. It is most abundant in the trojiical parts of this 
range, especially in Peru and Quito. It is principally 
an inhabitant of the higher regions of the mountains, 
from an elevation of about 11,000 feet up to the line of 
perpetual snow. In its flight, however, it soars far 
above the latter level, and is justly said by Humboldt 
