Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/278

VULCAN. 230 VULTURE. Hephaestus, and we find him paired with Vesta and otherwise honored by the Greek ritual as early as the third century B.C. This did not, however, penetrate deeply into the comniou cult, and he does not seem to have been held in special honor by Roman artificers. VULCAN. A hypothetical planet once sup- posed to be revolving around the sim within the orbit of ilercury. In 1859 Leverrier found cer- tain perturbations in the motions of ilercury which indicated the existence of another body in the vicinity. Such a body could be no other than another planet. Soon afterwards a certain Lescarbault announced that he had witnessed the transit of the planet across the sun's disk. It was thought for a time that Lescarbault's obser- vation was a correct one ; but astronomers are now agreed that he mistook some small sun-spots for the supposed planet. Vulcan is not now be- lieved to have a real existence. VULCANIZING. See Rubber. VULCANO, vnl-ka'no. or VOLCANO. The southernmost island of the Lipari group, in the Mediterranean Sea. 12 miles north of the coast of Sicilj-. It is seven miles long, three miles wide, and contains the crater of a volcano 1200 feet high, from which issue sulphurous gases and vapors. The soil is fertile, producing grain, fruit, and grapes. The islet of Vulcanello, h'ing off the northern coast, containing two craters, is connected with it by a neck of land. VULGATE. See Bible. VULNED (from vnlit, from Lat. vulnerare, to wound, from vnlniis, wound). A heraldic term, applied to an animal or part of an animal wounded, and with the blooil dropping from it. A pelican is sometimes described as vulning her- self. VULPIUS, viil'pf-ns, Christian August ( 17l'i2-lS27 ) . A German novelist and dramatist, born at Weimar. He studied at Jena and Erlangen. and, possibly through Goethe's in- fluence, obtained a post in the Weimar Library in 1797. In Weimar he published the typical 'penny dreadful' of the period, Rbiuhlo RinuhUni, the liohher Captain, often translated and imi- tated, but still unrivaled on its bad eminence. He published a large number of romantic operas, dramas, and tales, and was active also as editor. He died at Weimar. His sister, Christiane (17n.i-181fl) became the wife of Goethe. See Goethe. VULTURE(Lat. matur, voltur. vulture, from vellcre, to pluck). A representative of a group of carrion-eating rapacious birds classified in two distinct families. Tlie vultures proper consti- tute the Old World family Vulturi(i:r; the other family, Cathartidie, comprises the condors, tur- key-buzzards, and the like. The former groii)), true vultures, have a long straight beak, slightly or not at all hooked at the tip. and the head and neck bare or downy, a rulT or collar of soft feath- ers surrounding the lower part of the neck, into which the most of the head can be withdrawn for warmth. The legs and feet are large, but the claws are not nearly so large and .strong as in the falcons. Vultures have long wings, great powers of (light, and soar out of human sight. Their plumage is dense, and usually black and white, often with the naked parts "of the head red. They are mostly foiuul in warm climates, and many of them are inhabitants of mountain- ous regions. They feed on carrion. They seldom attack a living animal, but may put to death woimded or ill ones; and some of them regularly seek their food in the streets and environs of Eastern towns, where they are suffered as scav- engers. Vast numbers have been seen feeding upon battlefields. They gorge themselves exces- sively 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 tbem 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 animals by the eye or are attracted to them by the smell. It is certain that they possess great powers of vision, but the reasonable conclusion appears to be that the sense of smell is also of service in directing them to their prey. The rapidity with which they congregate about a carcass has been remarked with admiration. It is explained by their practice of soaring to a great height. Each one observes any sign of excitement on the part of another, and flies to- ward it, and so numbers are lured, following one another toward the feast discovered bj' the first one. Among notable species of vulture are the tawny vulture or griffon {(hips fiilrns). found in the south of Europe, the north of Africa, and the west of Asia. It makes its nest on the most in- accessible rocks of high mountains, as in the Alps and Pyrenees, and sometimes in tall forest trees. It is a very large bird, more than four feet in length. Its plumage is yellowish brown, the quills and tail-feathers blackish brown, the down of the head and neck white, the ruft' white. When it has found a carcass on which to feed, it remains on the spot, gorging and tor|iidly rest- ing liy turns, till no morsel remains. The moun- tains and forests of the south of Europe, as well as of the north of Africa, and great jiart of Asia, are also inhabited by the cinereous vulture ( Vtiltiir monachus) , another large species, which departs from the typical character of the vul- tures in having the greater part of the neck feathered, and comparatively large and powerful claws. Various species are known in Africa and Eastern Asia, of which a familiar one in India is the rather small Pondicherry vulture (Oliujups calms), which is black, and noted for its enor- mous nest. The American vultures of the fninily Cathar- tida" differ from those of tlie Old World technical- ly rather than in appearance or habits. This family includes the Inige coiuhir, king, and Cali- fornia vultures of the genus Sarcorhamphus (see Condor), and several other species, among them the smaller carrion-crow (q.v.) of the tropics, and the more familiar turkey-buzzard iCathnrtes aura) of the southern part of the I'nited States; this bird is occasionally seen, however, in all parts of the United States, and occasionally beyond the Canadian line. It is alioTit ^0 inches in length, with an alar spread of about 7.5 inches; in color dingy brown; the tail is long, the wing is bent at a salient angle.