CATHARTID^ — THE AMERICAN VULTURES. 337 



obliquely downward, across the neck to near the lower extremity of the 

 gular wattle ; lower part of the foreneck with a pendent fleshy appen- 

 dage. Plumage beginning below the neck by a crescentic ruff of soft 

 white down, or cottony feathers, around the posterior portion. Pri- 

 maries longer than the secondaries; front of the tibio-tarsal joint 



feathered Sarcorhamphus} 



Sexes alike, the female possessing the caruncular appendages of the 

 head as well as the male. Frontal lobe attached to only the middle 

 portion of the cere, above the nostril ; throat without a median wattle ; 

 side of the neck without any caruncles ; no appendage on the foreneck ; 

 auricular region with longitudinal corrugations, and occiput densely 

 haired. Plumage beginning below the neck by a ruff of broad, well- 

 developed, normal feathers. Primaries not longer than the secondaries. 

 Front of the tibio-tarsal joint naked ...... Cathartes} 



B. Crop feathered. Male without a fleshy crest, or other appendages, on the 

 head. Bill less robust, variable as to strength, its outlines only moderately con- 

 vex; cere nearly equal to the head in length. Sexes alike. 



a. Entire neck bare ; plumage commencing abruptly in a ruff of lanceolate, 

 or penicillate feathers, these continued on the breast and abdomen. Head 

 • much elongated, the upper outline a slightly convex plane, the forehead 

 depressed below the level of the very elevated dorsal outline of the cere. 

 Posterior claw very thick and strongly curved. 



2. Pseudogryphus. Nostril occupying only the posterior third of the 

 nasal oriiice, ils anterior end acute. Bill weak, the terminal hook only 

 slightly developed, the mandibles broader than deep, the lower as deep 

 as the upper. Head and neck without corrugations or caruncles. 

 Tarsus slightly longer than the middle toe ; fourth or fifth quill longest ; 

 extremities of the quills reaching to or beyond the end of the tail. Tail 

 even. {P. californianus.) 



h. Only the upper half, or less, of the neck bare ; plumage commencing 

 gradually with normal, broad feathers; feathers of breast and abdomen 

 broad and normal. Head only moderately elongated, the upper outline 

 irregular, the forehead elevated above the dorsal outline of the cere. Bill 

 strong, the terminal hook well developed. Posterior claw weaker, less 

 curved. 



3. Rhinogryphus. Nostril occupying the whole of the nasal cavity, 

 its anterior end broadly rounded ; cere as deep as broad, the upper and 

 lower outlines divergent posteriorly, the former considerably arched; 

 lower mandible much less deep than the upper. Skin of the neck with- 

 out corrugations ; a semicircular tuft of antrorse radiating bristles in 

 front of the eye. Wing very long, the primaries reaching to or beyond 

 the end of the tail. Tail much rounded. {R. aura and R. burrovianus.) 



4. Catharista. Nostril occupying only the posterior half of the nasal 

 cavity, its anterior end contracted and acute ; cere depressed, much 

 wider than deep, its upper and lower outlines parallel, the former not 

 perceptibly arched; lower mandible as deep as the upper; skin of the 

 neck transversely corrugated ; no tuft of bristles in front of the eye. 

 Wing short, the primaries reaching scarcely to the middle of the tail. 

 Tail even, or slightly emarginate. (C. atratus.) 



1 Sarcorhamphus, DuMteRiL, 1806. (Type, Fidtur gryphus, Linn.) 



2 Cathartes, Illigek, 1811. (TyY>e, Vultur papa, Linn.) Gypaqus, ViEiLi.. 1816. (Same 

 type.) Gyparchus, Glog. 1842. (Same type.) Sarcorhamphus, Auct. (in part). 



VOL. III. 43 



