. VULTURE. Vultur, a Linnrean genus of rapacious birds, now forming the family vul turide, to almost all the species of which the name Vulture is popularly given. The vulturidce have a longer beak than the falcon/do, and it is straight at the base, slightly or not at all toothed; the upper mandible longer than the lower, and booked at the tip, the head generally bare, or covered only with a short down, which in most of the spe cies is the case also with the neck—a ruff or collar or soft feathers surrounding the lower part of the neck, into which the upper part, and even most of the head, can be with drawn. The legs and feet are large, but the claws arc not nearly so large and strong as in the falcon/dm, and are but slightly hooked. The middle toe is very long. The wings are long, and their expanse consequently great. Vultures have great powers of flight, and many of them soar to a very great height in the air. Their plumage has not the neat and regular appearance of that of the falconidee, but it is dense, and not easily penetrated by shot. Vultures are mostly found in warm climates, and many of them are inhabitants of mountainous regions. They feed on carrion, which it seems to be their office in nature to remove from the face of the earth, that the evil consequences of its corruption may be prevented. They seldom attack a living animal, but they have been seen to sit and watch the approach of death, waiting for their feast. They are not in general courageous birds, and are often put to flight by birds much smaller than them selves; yet, if unmolested, they readily become familiar with the presence of man, and some of them seek their food even in the streets of towns, in which they are useful as scavengers. They gorge themselves excessively when food is abundant, till their crop
forms a great projection, and sit long in a sleepy or half-torpid state to digest their food. They do not carry food to their young in their claws, but disgorge it for them from the crop. The bareness of their head and neck adapts them for feeding on putrid flesh, by which feathers would be defiled; and they are very careful to wash and cleanse their plumage. , The question has been much discussed, whether vultures discern dead ani mals by the eye, or are attracted to them by the smell. It is certain that they possess great powers both of smell and of vision, and the reasonable conclusion appears to be both are of service in directing them to their prey. The rapidity with which they congregate to a carcass has been remarked with admiration, and vast numbers have been seen assembled on a battle-field to devour the dead.
The vulturidoi are divided into several genera, of which one, gypoilos to the falconido in its characters and habits, having the head feathered, and not always feeding on carrion, but often attacking living animals. The lAmmergeier (q.v.) is one of this group. The feet are feathered to the toes, while the other vultur6 have the tarsi bare.
Some of the most notable species of vultures have already been described, as the con dor and the Egyptian vulture. The generic name vultur is now restricted to those which have the head and neck without feathers and without caruncles. and a ruff of