. The animal kingdom, arranged after its organization, forming a natural history of animals, and an introduction to comparative anatomy. Zoology. 166 AVES. and the head, hut not the neck, devoid of feathers. They are hirds of moderate size, and in strength do not approach the Vultures properly so called ; hence they are even more addicted to carrion and all sorts of filth, which attract them from afar. They do not even disdain to feed on excrement. The White Neophron (V. percnopterus, Lin.)—Little larger than a Raven: the adult male [and probably also the old female] white, with black quill-fe
. The animal kingdom, arranged after its organization, forming a natural history of animals, and an introduction to comparative anatomy. Zoology. 166 AVES. and the head, hut not the neck, devoid of feathers. They are hirds of moderate size, and in strength do not approach the Vultures properly so called ; hence they are even more addicted to carrion and all sorts of filth, which attract them from afar. They do not even disdain to feed on excrement. The White Neophron (V. percnopterus, Lin.)—Little larger than a Raven: the adult male [and probably also the old female] white, with black quill-feathers ; the female and young brown. [It is common in Africa, and the countries bordering the Mediterranean ; rare in the north of Europe: has been once killed in England.] It fol- lows the caravans in the desert, to devour all that dies. The Urubu (V. jota, Ch. Bonap.), or Carrion Crow of the Anglo-Americans.—The same size and form as the preceding, but with a stouter bill, and the head entirely naked ; plumage wholly deep black. It abounds in the temperate and hot parts of America, [and is generally ranged in Cathartes. One or more additional true Neo- phrons, however, exist in Africa.] The Griffins {Gypdetos, Storr),— Placed hy Gmelin in his genus Falco, approximate the Vultures rather in their hahits and conformation : they have the eyes even with the head; the claws proportionally feeble ; wings half-extended when at rest; the craw, when full, projecting at the bottom of the neck: hut their head is completely covered with feathers ; [and they have only thirteen cervical vertebrae, which is one more than in any of the Falcons ; the Neophrons and Gallinazos possessing fourteen, and the Condors and true Vultures fifteen. The sternum is proportionally short, and very broad.] Their distinctive characters consist in a very strong, straight beak, hooked at the point, and inflated on the curve; nostrils covered [owl-like] with stiff hairs directed forward; and a pencil of si
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1854
