Birds of Indiana. 709 



grayish or whitish. The heavier form, with square tail and short 

 wings, with whitish lining, easily distinguish this bird. 



Length, 23.00-37.00; wing, 16.50-17.50; tail, 7.50-8.50; culmen, 

 .90-.95; tarsus, 3.00. 



Eange. — America, from Argentine Republic and Chili north to 

 North Carolina, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and west to Great 

 Plains. Irregularly or casually to Maine, New York and South Da- 

 kota. Winters from southern Indiana southward. 



Nest, on ground, under a log or bush, or in a hollow tree. J^ggs, 2, 

 occasionally 1 or 3; gray-green, irregularly marked with different tints 

 of chocolate and reddish-brown; 3.09 by 2.01. 



Resident in the southern part of the State; generally not numerous, 

 but, in the lower Wabash Valley, at least from Knox County south- 

 ward, it is common. In the lower ^^'hitewater Valley it i.s seen most 

 commonly in winter, but also breeds. The southern part of our State 

 is mostly within the uncertain zone, which lies north of the territory 

 where it is a common resident. It is not a migratory bird, but rather 

 a wanderer which is liable to be found at any season, except that of 

 breeding, within a narrow belt to the northward, and may even rarely 

 breed there. Audubon, in 1834, said of this Vulture: "This bird is 

 a constant resident of all our southern States, extends far up the 

 Mississippi Valley, and continues the whole year in Kentucky, Indi- 

 ana, Illinois and even in the State of Ohio, as far as Cincinnati." 

 Apparently they withdrew from the vicinity of the Ohio Valley, and 

 . for over forty years there was no account of its having been observed 

 there. The next record of its occurrence in Ohio was given by Dr. 

 Langdon as December 20, 1876 (Bull. Nuttall Orn. Club, Octoher, 

 1877, p. 109). The next record from Indiana was of two specimens 

 observed at Brookville, May 17, 1879, by Mr. E. R. Quick (Journ. 

 Cin. Soe. N. H., December, 1881, p. 341). From that time until the 

 present it has regularly been seen in Indiana, in increasing numbers, 

 and has extended its range northward until it has been found about 

 half-way across the State. It would seem that here is a case of reces- 

 sion from a former area and of again extending its range to an equal 

 or greater extent than formerly occupied. It has been noted as far 

 north as the counties of Knox, Monroe, Decatur and Franklin, in 

 1890. Mr. 0. P. Hanger noted it in Orange County in 1887 (The 

 Curlew, I, No. 3, p. 35). Mr. Alden M. Hadley observed them at 

 Monrovia, Morgan County, November 24, 1894. Mr. J. B. Burris saw 

 several at Cloverdale, Putnam County, November 18, 1896. Mr. E. 

 J. Cbansler informs me they have become common at i^icknell, Knox 



49 -Gtxn.. 



