BLACK VULTURE OR CARRION CROW 
17 
In the adult, the head and upper part of the neck are destitute of feathers, 
having a red wrinkled skin, sparsely covered with short black hair, and 
downy behind. Feathers of the neck full and rounded, concealing the naked 
crop. Wings ample, long; the first quill rather short, the third and fourth 
longest. Tail longish, rounded, of twelve broad straight feathers. 
Bill at the tip yellowish- white ; the cere and the naked part of the head of 
a tint approaching to blood-red. Iris dark brown. Feet flesh-coloured, 
tinged with yellow ; claws black. The general colour of the plumage is 
blackish-brown, deepest on the neck and under parts, the wing-coverts 
broadly margined with brown ; the back glossed with brown and greenish 
tints ; the tail purplish-black : the under parts of a sooty brown, on the 
breast glossed with green. 
Length 82 inches ; extent of wings 6 feet 4 inches ; bill 2\ along the ridge, 
2 t 2 2 along the gap ; tarsus 2i, middle toe 34. 
Young fully fledged. 
The bill is, of course, shorter and more. slender, its horny tip pale blue, 
black on the back ; the skin of the head is flesh-coloured, the iris yellowish, 
the feet flesh-coloured. The plumage is nearly of the same colour as in the 
adult. 
BLACK VULTURE, OR CARRION CROW. 
Cathartes atratus, Wilson. 
PLATE III. — Male and Female. 
This bird is a constant resident in all our Southern States, extends far up 
the Mississippi, and continues the whole year in Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, 
and even in the State of Ohio as far as Cincinnati. Along the Atlantic coast 
it is, I believe, rarely seen farther east than Maryland. It seems to give 
a preference to maritime districts, or the neighbourhood of water. Although 
shy in the woods, it is half domesticated in and about our cities and villages, 
where it finds food without the necessity of using much exertion. Charles- 
ton, Savannah, New Orleans, Natchez, and other cities, are amply provided 
with these birds, which may be seen flying or walking about the streets the 
whole day in groups. They also regularly attend the markets and shambles, 
to pick up the pieces of flesh thrown away by the butchers, and, when an 
opportunity occurs, leap from one bench to another, for the purpose of help- 
Vol. I. 2 
