522 BIRDS FR()^^ NIf'ARA<aTA AND COSTA RU'\ RICHMOND. 



222. Buteo latissimus ( Wils. ). 



Iviitlicr coiiiuiou oil tlic bjscoiulido during the wiiittT iiioutlis. First 

 seen September 30. 



223. Buteo brachyuriis ^■i(•ill. 

 One s])0<'iiiUMi sccnrod on the lOscoiidido. 



224. Busaielliis nigiicollis (l.,;ith.). 

 ObscrxTd ;it (livytown ou several oecasiinis. 



Family ('ATHAKTID.E. 

 225. Gypagus papa (Liim.). 



Frequently observed on the Escondido, and occasionally several were 

 seen in one day, but the birds habitually pass the time so high in the 

 air that they will ordinarily escape notice. One secured on the llio 

 Frio. It was attracted to the (clearing by a large snake killed a tew 

 days previous. As the bird came sailing overhead several Black Vul- 

 tures out of respect vacated the tree in which it was about to light. 



It would be (juite useless to attempt a description of the colors of the 



naked skin of the head and neck of this l)ird without a diagram. 



Iris white. 



226. Catharista atrata (Haitr.). 



Very common. One afternoon whih^ )>a(Ul]ing u]) the creek I heard 

 a remarkable hissing noise, as of some body going rapidly through the 

 air, and looking in the direction of the sound, saw a dark object shoot 

 through the air in a downward direction and disappear behind some 

 trees, but the movement was so swift that I could not identify it, even 

 as a bird. Shortly afterward auotlier object came down with the same 

 rapidity and noise, but I could not ])lace it. About a month latei' I 

 was in a cattle pasture contaiuing solitary dead trees here and there, 

 witii a few IJhu'k N'ulturcs peichcd about, when J heard this same 

 noise and saw a bird dive dow n and make a sharj) turn Avhen near the 

 tree to[)s to check its speed, then sail up and perch with tlie other birds 

 on the trees. This operation was repeated by several other birds, all of 

 this species, which wei'e very high in the air, and it was no doubt the 

 means taken by them to reach the earth quickl.\ . The birds observed 

 on the lirst occasion wei'e also doubtless of this species. 



227. Cathartes aiiia ( Linn. ). 

 Common, but less abundant than the above. 



Family COLUMBIJ)^. 

 228. Coluniba nigiirostris Sc]. 



This is the common nu)uruing IMgeon of the region. Abundant, ]>ar- 

 ticularly along streams, where its favorite i)erch is in the trumpet tree. 

 It is conlined mostly to the forest. 



Iris vinaceous; bill black: feet pink. 



