The Vulture. 
195 
THE KING VULTUKE. (Vultur, or Sarcorhamphus 
papa.) 
The King Vulture, or King of the Vultures, is so called, 
because when he makes his appearance amongst a whole 
company of other birds of his kind engaged in a feast 
upon a dead carcase, they all retire before him and wait 
respectfully at a little distance until this monarch has 
eaten his fill. He is an inhabitant of South America. 
The head and neck of this bird are without feathers ; 
the body above, reddish buff, beneath, yellowish white : 
quills greenish black; tail black; craw pendulous, and 
orange-coloured. It is about the size of a turkey ; and 
is chiefly remarkable for the odd formation of the skin 
of the head and neck ; this skin, which is of an orange 
colour, arises from the base of the bill, whence it 
stretches on each side of the head ; the eyes are sur- 
rounded by a red skin, and the iris has the colour and 
lustre of pearl. Upon the naked part of the neck is a 
collar formed by soft longish feathers. Into this collar 
the bird sometimes withdraws his whole neck, and some- 
times a part of its head, so that it looks as if it had 
hidden its neck in its bod v. 
