14 
CALIFORNIAN VULTURE. 
head to beyond the nostrils, and a semicircular space before the eye, are 
closely covered with very small firm feathers ; the fore part of the neck is 
longitudinally, the occiput and hind neck transversely wrinkled. Plumage 
full, compact ; feathers of the ruff and fore part of the breast lanceolate 
and acuminate, of the upper parts ovato-elliptical, broadly rounded, and 
glossy. Wings very long, ample, concave ; primaries finely acuminate, 
secondaries rounded ; the first quill two inches and a half shorter than 
the second, which is half an inch shorter than the third, the latter 
exceeded by the fourth by half an inch, and equal to the fifth. Tail of 
moderate length, nearly even, of twelve broad, rounded feathers. 
The horny part of the bill yellow ; the cere and naked part of the head 
and neck yellowish-red. Iris dark hazel. Feet yellowish-grey, claws 
brownish-black. The general colour of the plumage is greyish-black, the 
feathers of the upper parts narrowly' margined with light brown and grey ; 
the secondaries light grey externally, as are the edges of the primaries ; 
the margins of the inner secondaries toward the base, and those of the 
secondary coverts, with a large portion of the extremity of the latter, are 
white. The feathers on the sides under the wing, the axillaries, and 
many of the lower wing-coverts, are white. 
Length to end of tail 55 inches ; bill along the ridge 4f, along the edge 
of lower mandible 3 T |- ; wing from flexure 34 ; tail 16 ; tarsus 4J; hind 
toe lfi, its claw 1 % ; second toe 2i, its claw 1}| ; third toe 4|, its claw 2 ; 
fourth toe 2 r %, its claw 1 T \. 
The young have the horny part of the bill dusky yellowish-grey ; the 
head and neck covered with dull brown very soft down ; the feet greyish- 
yellow, the scutella darker, the claws brownish-black. The general colour 
of the plumage is blackish-brown, the feathers on the upper part strongly 
tinged with grey, especially the secondary quills ; the feathers of the back 
edged with light-brown, the secondary coverts tipped with brownish-white. 
The feathers on the sides under the wing, the axillaries, and some of the 
lower wing-coverts white, with the centre dusky. 
Length to end of tail 48 inches ; bill along the ridge 4 ; wing from 
flexure 32 ; tail 16 ; tarsus 4 ; middle toe 4 ; its claw l r 9 s . 
