Mr, E. C. Taylor on the Birds of the West Indies. 79 



how near it could go without touching. It is certainly, in its 

 flight and general appearance, by far the most aquiline-looking 

 species of Vulture I have ever seen, and it was not until I had 

 shot one that I could bring myself to believe that it was really 

 a Vulture, and not an Eagle. On the Orinoco I found this 

 bird much more numerous and less shy than in Trinidad ; but 

 even there it did not frequent the towns in the same familiar 

 way as Cathartes atratus. In Jamaica, where, as I believe, C. 

 atratus does not occur, this species takes its place as scavenger 

 in the towns and villages. Its irides are brownish red. 



*^3. Gyparch us PAPA (Linn.). King Vulture. 

 The only occasion I came across this species was on my jour- 

 ney through Trinidad from Port of Spain to the east coast, or 

 " Bande del Est " as it is called. I and my companion had got 

 just about halfway across the island when we suddenly came 

 on a party of these birds, about six in number. On arriving at 

 the place where we fii'st saw them, I found that the attraction 

 was an enormous dead snake in a putrid state, on which they 

 had been gorging themselves. My friend shot one, which fell 

 apparently dead ; while I, thinking that I should like to shoot 

 one too, went a little further into the forest and did so. Great 

 was my surprise on returning to the one first shot to find that 

 it had miraculously revived, and flown to the top of a high tree. 

 The Trinidadians distinguish this bird by the name of " King 

 of the Corbeaux." 



V 4. POLYBORUS BRASILIENSIS. 



I frequently saw this bird on the shores of the Orinoco. It 

 was very tame, and generally allowed a near approach to the 

 tree on which it was perching, and when disturbed did not fly 

 far. I believe this species never occurs in Trinidad. 



5. Pandion haliaetus. Osprey. 



This truly cosmopolitan bird is not uncommon on the Ori- 

 noco ; and once or twice I saw an Osprey flying over the Gulf 

 of Paria, not far from Port of Spain. 



\/ 6. BuTEG albicollis (Vieill.). 



This fine Buzzard is pretty common in Trinidad, and is gene- 

 rally to be seen in the clearings in the neighbourhood of high 



