492 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



This well-markfcl pcmis is composed of a sinple species, which is 

 eontineil to the tropiual luid wann-ttinpiinte portions of America. 

 The differences from the otlier Vultures, which tliis bird exhibits in 

 its habits and especially in its iliRht, are very striking', and furnish 

 adilitioual characters distinctive of the genus. 



Catharista atrata (Bartr.) 



BLACK VULTUHE. 



Popular synonym. Carrion Crow. 



Vitllur alraliis Babtb. Trav. 1792. 2S0. 

 Cathai-les alraliis h^RS. 1828.— AuD. Synop. 1839. 3: B. Am. I. 184U, 17. pL a— Ca»b. in 

 Baird"»B. N. Am. 18M, 5.— Baibd. Cat. N. Am. B. 1859. No. 3.— COUES. Key. 1872. 

 222; CliOfk List. 1874, No. :iflC: B. N. W. 1874. 3s;t. 

 Calliariula alrata GiiAY. 18ti9.— B. B. & K. Hist. N. Am. B. iii. 1874, 351.— KiDOW. Nom. N. 

 Am. B. 1881, No. 4i5.-C0UE8, 2a Clieclc List, 1882, No. 6.18. 

 Catliartfs iota ("MoL.") Bp. 1838. (nee Mol.).— NuTT. Man. 1. 1832, 46.— AuD. Orn. BIok. ili, 

 1835, 35: V, 1839,34.5. pi. IWi. 



Had. Wlioli^ of tropical, auljtropical, and warm-temperate America, ineluilinc West 

 Indies; nortli, on Atlantic coast, reRularly to North Carolina, casually to New Brtins- 

 wiek: in tlio interior to southern Olii", IndiiMiii. aiul Illinois, and west of the Mississippi 

 to northern Dakota. 



8p. Chab. Form lieavy; the wines ami tail short, the latter siiuare; the remijres and 

 reelrieos very hard and stilT. Bill stronu, the mandiljli.-s broader than deep, and of about 

 equal depth, the terminal hook well developed; upper and lower outlines of the coro 

 parallel, and nearly straittht. Nostril narrow, its anterior end contracted and pointed. 

 Wine, 17.(K>-17.5ii; tail, 7.50-8.50; culmon, .90-. 96; tarsus, 3.00; middle toe. 2.90; outer, 1,90; 

 inner, 1,5U; posterior, .75. 



Adult. Bill blackish, the point horny white; naked skin of the head and upper part 

 of the neck blackish. Entire pUimane continuous, perfectly uniform dull black; pri- 

 maries bocomins ijrayish basally (more hoary whitish on their under surface), thoir 

 shafts pure white for their whole lennlh. 



For some unexplained reason, the Black Vulture is an uncommon 

 bird in most parts of Illinois. In fact, it does not seem to be 

 numerous anywhere, even in the extreme southern portion of the 

 State. Near Mt. Carmel the writer has met with it only in the 

 cypress swamp, where, during spring and summer, it was several 

 times seen, but always singly. In the same locality the Turkey 

 Buzzards could be counted by hundreds. It seems, however, to 

 be a very local species, and the counti-j- about Mt. Carmel may 

 he in some way unsuited to its habits. It is so conspicuously 

 dififeicnt in appearance and manner from the Turkey Buzzard that 

 there is no chance of confounding the two ; therefore, the species 

 cannot have been overlooked. 



