CATHARTID.E—CATHARTIX.E: AMERICAN VULTURES. 



703 



circlet of ordinary feathers all around neck in C. aura, but mounting the neck behind in 

 C. hurrorianus ; the naked skin corrugated and sparsely beset with bristles, especially a 

 patch before eye, where it is also caruncular or papillose. Bill long, moderately stout and 

 hooked; nostrils large, elliptical, with a raised rim completely pervious; cere contracted op- 

 posite them. Wings extremely long, not particularly broad, pointed, folding beyond tail, 

 which is short and rounded. Point of wing formed by 3d or 4th quill ; 2d and 5th nearly as 

 long ; 1st much shorter ; outer 4 or 5 emarginate on inner webs. Tarsus about as long as mid- 

 dle toe without claw. Of Cathartes as restricted several species are described, but only one is 

 established as North American. They are noted for their extraordinary powers of sailing flight. 





Analysis of Species. 



Plumage brownish, not peaked on the nape. Large : wing 20.00 or more. N. Am aura 



Plumage black, peaked on the nape. Small: wing about 18.00. S. W. border? burrovinntis 



C. au'ra. (Vox barb., name of the bird. Figs. 478, 479.) Common Turkey Vulture. 

 Turkey Buzzard. Adult $ 9= Bhickish-browu, grayer on wing-coverts; quills black, 

 ashy-gray on under 

 surface ; tail black, 

 with pale b r o w n 

 shafts. Head red, 

 from livid crimson to 

 pale carmine, with 

 whitish specks usu- 

 ally ; bill dead white ; 

 feet tiesh-colored ; iris 

 brown. Length 2;^ 

 2i feet ; extent about 

 6 feet ; wing 2 feet or 

 less ; tail a foot or 

 less; tarsus 2.25 

 inches ; middle toe 

 without claw rather 

 more ; outer toe 1.50 ; 

 inner 1.25; hind 0.75; 

 chord of culmen with- 

 out cere 1.00. Weiglit 

 4-5 pounds. Young 

 darker than adults ; 

 bill and skin of head 

 <lark, latter downy. 

 Nestlings covered 

 with wliiti.sli down, 

 which extends upon 



back of neck and head, but leaves the front and sides ban-: .-^kiii black. V. S. and British 

 provinces, S. througli Central and S. Am.; N. in Saskatchewan to about 55^; resi.ienl N. to 

 about 40° on the Atlantic side, and a few degrees farther on I'acitic coast, beyond which 

 migratory, being starved out in winter; casual in New England; breeds in most of ranjre. 

 Nests ordinarily on or near ground, in ludlow stumps or logs, generally in communities ; but 

 sometimes in hollows of dea.l tree-tops at a great height, or again on rocky ledges; in some 

 iiKstances the old nest of another bird, as a Hawk or Heron, is used. Kggs comnionly 2. 



Fig. 47^. — Turkrv l'.u//..ir.l, 



il'TMin I'.r. 1.1. 



