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The KI N G of the VULTURES.
T    H  IS Bird is about the Bignefs of a Hen-Turkey. I believe it is fomething
leii
than the greater Sort of Vultures; nor has it fuch large Wings in Proportion.
The Bill is pretty thick and ftrong, firaight for a little way, then bends
into a Hook,
and over-hangs the lower Mandible; it is red at the Point, and black in the
middle
Part; the Bafe of the Bill, both upper and lower Mandibles, are cover'd with
a Skin
of an orange Colour, broad, and pointing to the Crown of the Head, on each
Side
above, in which Spaces are placed the Nofirils, of an oblong Shape: Between
the
Nofirils is a loofe flap of Skin, fcolloped, which falls indifferently on
either Side of the
Bill, when the Bird moves its Head. The Iris of the Eye is of a bright, pearly
Whitenefs; round the Eye, is an indifferent broad fpace of -Scarlet Skin;
the Head and
Neck are cover'd with bare Skin; the Crown of a dirty, Flefh-colour, toward
the Bill,
and Scarlet in the hinder Part, behind which is a little Tuft of black Hairs:
From this
Tuft proceeds, on each Side, and parts the Head from the Neck, a Iort of
Stay of
wrinkled Skin, of a brownifh Colour, with a little Blue and Red in its hinder
Part-:
The Sides of the Head are of a black or dirty Colour, with Spots of brownifh
Purple
behind the Angles of the Mouth; the Sides of the Neck are red, which gradually
becomes yellow in its fore Part; there runs a dirty yellow Lift down the
hind Part of
the Neck; and at the bottom of the Neck, a Ruff of loofe, foft, afh-colour'd
Feathers,
quite round, in which, by Contraation, it can hide its whole Neck and Sides
of the
Head ; the Breaft, Belly, Thighs, and covert Feathers under the Tail are
White, or a
little inclining to Cream-colour; the back and upper Part of the Wings is
of a light,
Tedifh brown, inclining to Buff-colour; the Rump arid upper covert Feathers
of the
Tail are White; the Quill-feathers of the Wings, black; fome of the middle-mofi
Quills have their Shafts edged with white ; the Row of Coverts, next above
the Quills,
is black, with light, brown Edges; the Tail is wholly black; tho' Mr. Albin
makes
it black only at the End; the Legs and Feet are of a dirty, white Colour;
the forward
Toes are joined a little way by a Membrane; the Claws are black, not fo great
nor
crooked as in Eagles.
This Bird I drew at Sir Hans Sloane's, where it lived fome Years. I have
feen three
or four of them; but could difcover no fuch Craw of bare Skin, as A/bin has
figured.
The People who made a Shew of this Bird in Loundon, told me it was brought
from the
lEafi Indies; tho' I believe it rather to come from the [J'e. I have feen
an old Dutch
Print of this, Bird, very incorred, intitled, Rex WVarwouwarum, ex India
Occidentali.
Mr. Terry, a great Dealer in foreign Birds and Bcats, has affired me thefe
Birds are
brought only fronm America. AlbiAt fuppofes it to be like the Brafilian Vuihure,
called;
Urubu, TWilloughby, p. 68. tho' it differs widely fromr that which is no
other than the
7iurkey BuZArd, defcribed in Catesby's Hiftory of Carolina.  Had Mr. A/bin
been
tolerably coxxert in his Figure of this Bird, I Ihould not have publilhed
a fecond


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