NO. 2298. THE GUANO BIRDS OF PERU—COKER. 497 



Aegialitis nivosa (Cassin), Paracas Bay, June 29, 1907. Common 

 name: "Chinita." 



Aegialitis nivosa (Cassin), Paracas Bay, June 29, 1907. Common 

 name: "Cajero." 



Ereunetes pusillus mauri Cabanis, Lobos de Tierra, December 13, 

 1907. Common name: "Til-Til." 



THE CONDOR. 



None of the vultures are significant guano producers, yet they are 

 found on the islands, and at least one of the species is an important 

 factor in the bionomics of the island. 



The large condor, or "buitri" (Vultur grypJius Linnaeus), "the 

 king of the vultures," is not uncommon in the higher hills and 

 mountains of the interior of Peru and visits the coast to feed upon 

 the animal matter cast up on the beaches (D'Orbigny).* It is 

 reputed by the natives to prey sometimes upon the nestlings of 

 guano birds, but such depredations were not observed. Individual 

 birds, evidently of this species, were not infrequently seen resting 

 on a hillside or on some high ledge of the islands south of Callao, as 

 at Santa Rosa, San Gallan, the Ballestas Islands, and Isla Asia. 

 Doubtless the condor frequents islands north of Callao ; but my visits 

 to islands of the northern region were principally to Lobos de Afuera 

 and Lobos de Tierra, which are, respectively, 10 and 35 miles from 

 the main shore. According to my native guides at these points the 

 condor is never seen on these islands. 



D'Orbigny states that the wing spread of this condor does not 

 exceed 3 meters and that the ordinary length is above IJ meters. 



In this connection it may be mentioned that the true king vulture, 

 Sarcoramplius papa (Linnaeus), which, according to D'Orbigny, is 

 not half so common as the condor, and is confined to the eastern 

 side of the Andes, has been recorded by Stolzmann from the west 

 coast between Tumbes and Lechugal.^ 



Condors are undoubtedly becoming rare, while the vultures men- 

 tioned below increase with the spread of human habitation. The 

 rapacious condors are pursued, while the harmless vultures are, in a 

 measure, protected for their service as scavengers. 



THE VULTURES OR "GALLINAZOS." 



The "turkey vultures," or "turkey buzzards" ("gallinazos" they 

 are called in Peru), are not only among the most common birds seen 

 about the tov/ns and villages, but are found on any island inhabited 

 by other birds or by sea lions. The commoner species near the cities 



1 TaczanowsM. Omlthologie du P6rou, vol. 1, p. 75fl. 

 » Idem, vol. 1, p. 81ff. 



115690— 19— Proc.N.M.vol.56 32 



