212 [March, 1845. 



Meeting fur Business, March 25th, 1845. 



Vice President Morton in the Chair. 



The Committee to whom was referred the following paper 

 by Mr. Cassin, read Feb. ISth last, reported in favour of 

 publication. 



Description of a new Vulture, in the Museum of the Academy of Natural 

 Sciences, of Philadelphia. 



By John Cassin. 



Genus Cathaktes, Illiger. 



C. Burmvianus. £ C. capite nudo, laevi, naribus magnis, ovatis, cor- 

 pore omnino nigro, viridi-crerulescente subnitido, subtus pallidiore; plumis 

 extendentibus sursum super posteriore cervicis, parvospatio in pectore nudo. 

 Alis longis, remigibus et rectricibus nigris, scapis primarum albis et conspi- 

 cuis, tertia prima longissima. Haec species est minima vulturum American- 

 orum cognitorum. 



Long. tot. (exuvii) 22 unc, rostri 2|, alae 18, caudae 8|. 



Hah. — Prope Vera Cruz. 



Head naked, smooth, with the nostrils large and oval; plumage of the body 

 entirely black, with a greenish blue gloss, paler beneath ; the feathers ex- • 

 tend upwards on the back of the neck, a small bare space on the breast. 

 Wings long, the quills and tail feathers black, with the shafts of the prima- 

 ries white and conspicious, third primary longest. The smallest American 

 Vulture known. 



Total length (of skin) 22 inches, bill 2|, wing 18, tail 8-|. 



Hah. — Near Vera Cruz. 



This species resembles C. aura, Linn., in the shape of the bill and nostrils, 

 and in having the tail rounded, but differs from it not only in size, but the 

 feathers extend upwards on the back of the neck and lie flat instead of form- 

 ing a ruff ; the plumage of the specimen now described is black, none of the 

 feathers having pale margins, as is commonly the case in specimens of C. 

 aura; the shafts of the primaries are clear white, and the head is more en- 

 tirely destitute of downy feathers. The tarsi are longer and more slender. 



The head of C. Burrovianus, is quite smooth, in which, as in other respects 

 it is very different from C. atratus, Wilson. 



This new species was obtained in the vincity of Vera Cruz, by the late 

 M. Burrough, M. D., in honor of whom I have named it, as a slight acknow- 

 ledgement for his very valuable services to Natural History and to this Aca- 

 demy. 



