FALCON. 
49 
According to Mr. Abbott, this species chooses similar 
situations for its nest with the Turkey-Buzzard, fixing 
upon hollow trees in retired swamps. As no particulars, 
however, are given, this information is merely hearsay. 
I made frequent inquiries of many individuals in all the 
Southern states about the nest of this species, but no 
person could inform me that they had ever seen it. Mo- 
lini, in his History of Chili, says, that it makes a careless 
nest of a few dry leaves or feathers, either on the ground, 
or sheltered by rocks, and lays 2 eggs of a dirty white. 
The Black Vulture is about 26 inches long; and 4 feet 4 inches in 
the stretch of the wings. The bill 2.J inches, of a dark brown color 
for about an inch, the remainder black. The head, and a part of the 
neck, are covered with a black, wrinkled skin, scattered with papil- 
lose excrescences, and set with short black hairs, and downy be- 
hind. Iris reddish-hazel. The general color of the plumage is of a 
dull black. A dark cream-colored spot is visible on the primaries 
when the wing is unfolded. The legs whitish grey. The body, 
when opened, smells strongly of musk. 
2. FALCON. 
( Falco . Linn, and Temminck.) 
Generic Charact. — With the head covered with feath- 
ers. The bill hooked ; and commonly curved from 
its origin ; provided with a colored cere, more or less 
hairy at its base ; the lower mandible obliquely round- 
ed, and both sometimes notched. The nostrils lat- 
eral, rounded or ovoid, situated in the cere and open. 
The tarsus clothed with feathers, or naked, and 
then scaly ; the toes are 3 before, and 1 behind ; 
the exterior commonly united at its base to the ad- 
joining by a membrane. Nails sharp, strongly hook- 
ed, movable, and retractile. Tail of 12 feathers. 
5 
