62 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



the percentage of stomachs containing various kinds of food than to try- 

 to estimate the percentage of each kind of food taken by the species. 

 Species marked g are near the border line of beneficial birds. 



Suborder SARCORHAMPHI 



Family CATHARTIDAE 



American vultures 



Characters. Bill strong, elongated, hooked at the tip and blunt; 

 nostrils large, longitudinal and perforate; head and neck rather long, bare, 

 rough and usually bright colored; tongue thick and fleshy; eyes prominent; 

 feet clumsy and covered with small scales; front toes long, webbed at the 

 base; hind toe short and elevated; talons obtuse and only slightly curved; 

 wings very ample; 11 primaries; tail of moderate length, even or slightly 

 rounded, consisting of 12 or 14 rectrices; the basipterygoid process is present; 



