12 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



than half as long as wing, truncate or very shghtly rounded. Tarsus 

 about one-sixth as long as wing, decidedly longer than middle toe 

 without claw (but shorter than middle toe with claw), the upper 

 portion wholly bare (the nudity involving tibiotarsal joint) ; outer 

 toe (without claw) longer than inner toe, but claw of the latter longer, 

 the total length of lateral toes being thus subequal. 



Plumage and coloration. — Head and greater part of neck bare (in 

 young covered with short down), the occiput (in adults) covered 

 with short, closely appressed bristles or haii-like feathers; plumage 

 in general compact, the feathers relatively broad, especially the 

 secondaries and rectrices; tibiotarsal joint bare. Adults with upper 

 parts mostly plain vinaceous-buff or cream color, the ruff round lower 

 neck grayish, the remiges, rump, upper tail coverts, and tail black, 

 the secondaries edged with white and grayish; under parts white; 

 bare skin of head and neck brightly colored with varied hues of 

 scarlet, orange, yellow, blue, etc., the irides white. Young plain 

 dusky brown, the bill blackish, the head without caruncular append- 

 ages. 



Nidification.—'U'nkniowii, but Qgg immacidate white. 



Range. — Continental Tropical America in general, mostly in the 

 tierra caliente and in forested regions. (Mono ty pic.) 



SARCOKAMPHUS PAPA (I>!nnaeus) 



King Vulture 



Adults (sexes alike). — Upper neck ("ruff") plumbeous, the feathers 

 white at base; tertials, secondaries, primaries, greater and primary 

 coverts, rump, upper tail coverts, and tail black, the secondaries 

 gi'ayish exteriorly and edged with white; rest of plumage deep vina- 

 ceous-buff or pinkish cream color above, white beneath; naked skin 

 of head and upper neck very brilliantly colored in life; pileum and 

 auriculars dull orange-red, subauriculars pale yellow with a little 

 whitish; nape cadmium yellow becoming nearly lemon yellow ante- 

 riorly; sides of upper neck dull orange-red; middle of upper throat 

 cadmium yellow, sharply defined; bare cheeks pale blue, becoming 

 purplish in the superior, diagonally posterior half; cere and base of 

 maxilla brownish orange becoming cadmiimi orange on the nasal 

 caruncles; nareal portion of maxiUa black; distal third of maxilla dull 

 orange-red; mandible dull orange-red apically separated from the 

 cadmium-yellow basal part by a black transverse band; chin pale 

 blue (colors taken from a freshly killed adult male); iris white; feet 

 variable in dried skins, fuscous above and below, the scutes on the 

 upper surface dark fuscous but the yellowish color coming in between 

 them causing a speckled appearance. 



