336 BROOKLYN INSTITUTE MUSEUM. SCIENCE BULLETIN 2. 6. 



Oripopo de Cabcza Amarilla. Of these, the one having the "Cabc:;a 

 Colorado" (red head) is much the more common and is probably the 

 CBnops pernigra of Sharpe (Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. I, 1874, p. 26). The 

 svnononiv of the South American vultures of the genus Catharics is in 

 some confusion and while 1 have neither the specimens nor the nec- 

 essary library facilities to elucidate the tangle, I hope by the descrip- 

 tions and careful field notes that follow to make at least two of the 

 species found in northern South America recognizable. Mr. E. W. 

 Nelson did most excellent service determining the status of C. burro- 

 "uianus^ and by so doing eliminating it from the South American 

 vultures, at least from those found on the Orinoco where there is a race 

 which it resembles in size but not in other characters. 



In life the two forms found on the Orinoco are distinguishable 

 at a glance, one appearing" much larger and heavier than the other, 

 although the wing and tail measurements are practically the same, as 

 will be noted in the tables of measurements given under the species, 

 and the head in the case of the larger appearing pink or reddish, while 

 that of the smaller is decidedly vellow. 



Cathartes pernigra (Sharpe). 



CEnops pernigra Sharpe. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. I. 1874. p. 26. 

 Cathartes aura pernigra Berlepsch, Ibis. 1884. p. 437 (Angostura). 

 Cathartes bnrroi'iainis Berlepsch & Hartert, Novit. Zool. IX. 1902. p. iii 

 (in part). 



Native name Zaniiiro Oripopo de Cabe::.a Colorado. 



This, the commoner of the two Cathartes seen on the Orinoco, was 

 observed at every point visited from Barrancas in the Delta region to 

 above the falls of Atures and Maipures. Occasionally one or two 

 vultures of this species will be seen feeding on some carcass in company 

 with a crowd of Black VTiltures. They are seen only in pairs or singly, 

 and I do not remember ever having seen one perched on the roof of a 

 house, as is the custom with the Black Vultures. 



My field notes for an adult male of this species, (No. 10486 Cherrie 

 Collection) taken at Caicara River, Orinoco, March 14, 1898, notes 

 written while the bird was perfectly fresh, and before being skinned, are 

 as follows : 



Eye golden brown ; bill horn white ; bare skin on head and neck pansy 



iProc. Biol. Soc. Wash. XVIII. 1905. pp. 122-125. 



