CATHARISTA. 133 
p- 405 °; vi. p. 378"; Belding, Pr. U.S. Nat. Mus. vi. p. 344’? ; Ferrari-Perez, Pr. U. S. 
Nat. Mus. ix. p. 168"; Herrera, La Nat. (2) i. pp. 175“, 819"; Stone, Pr. Ac. Phil. 
1890, p. 204 °°; Bendire, Life Hist. N. Am. Birds, i. p. 165, t. 4. figs. 7, 10'7; Cherrie, 
Auk, 1892, p. 328"; Richmond, Pr. U.S. Nat. Mus. xvi. p. 522; Chapman, Bull. Amer. 
Mus. viii. p. 287°; x. pp. 35", 43. 
Catharistes atratus, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. i. p. 24%; Boucard, P.Z.S. 1878, p. 45; 
1883, p. 457°; Sumichr. La Nat. v. p. 235”. 
Cathartes fetens, Licht. Verz. Doubl. p. 63; v. Frantz. J. f. Orn. 1869, p. 370”. 
Catharistes urubu, Sharpe, Hand-l. Birds, i. p. 240”. 
Nigra; primariis longioribus extus basin versus grisescenti-brunneis, subtus quoque grisescentibus, prope 
rhachidem albam albicantibus : rostro fusco, apicem versus albicante ; capite nudo et plaga prepectorali 
nuda fuscis. Long. tota circa 22-5, ale 16-3, caude 6°85, culm. (cum cera) 2°4, tarsi 3:3. (Deser. 
exempl. ad. ex Coban, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 
Juv. haud ab adultis distinguendus. 
Hab. Norra America, Southern States to North Carolina and the Mississippi Valley, 
casually to Maine, New York, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Dakota, &c. 17.—Mexico, 
generally distributed (Sumichrast ° °°), Guaymas (Belding 1”), Mazatlan (Grayson ®), 
Presidio de Mazatlan (Horrer), Guanajuato (Dugés’), Valley of Mexico (Her- 
rera i416), Jalapa (Ferrari-Perez °, Chapman), Las Vigas 22, Chichén Itzd 2 
(Chapman), Orizaba (Botteri?), Yucatan (Gaumer *4), Tekanto (Stone & Baker 1%) ; 
GUATEMALA, generally distributed 4, San Gerénimo *, Coban, Duefias, &c. (0. S. & 
Ff. D. G.) ; Honporas, Omoa (Leyland *) ; Nicaragua, Rio Escondido (Richmond }9), 
San Juan del Sur (Nutting 4); Costa Rica, generally distributed (v. Frantzius 28, 
Carmiol *, Boucard**), San José (Cherrie’), La Palma (Nutting }°); Panama 
(M‘Leannan*).—Sovutn America generally, except the extreme south and the 
higher Andes *°. 
The range of the Black Turkey Vulture in the United States is more restricted than 
that of Cathartes aura, and the species is not so plentiful in the interior as on the 
sea-coast. Like the common Turkey Vulture, C. atrata is a migrant, and is found 
only in certain parts of the Southern States during the winter. Mr. Ridgway believes 
it to be absent from California, but throughout Mexico, Central and South America, 
excepting in the extreme south of that continent and the higher Andes, it is universally 
distributed and breeds abundantly. 
With the exception perhaps of Quiscalus macrurus, this is the most familiar bird in 
Guatemala, every town and village, up to an elevation of about 6000 feet, having its 
“Zopilotes”” performing the useful task of scavengers. Mr. Champion informs us that 
in the State of Panama they are known by the name of “ Gallote.” At night these 
birds are said to retire to the forest, and in the early morning to troop back to their 
posts in the streets and lanes and to the tops of the houses and churches, patiently 
waiting for any chance carrion. 
They usually breed in the woods in well-concealed spots, making little or no nest, 
