BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 117 



GENUS CATHARISTA VIEILLOT. 

 Catharista atrata (BARTR.). 



Black Vulture. 



DESCRIPTION. 



"Adult. Entire plumage dull black, the quills grayish basally (hoary whitish on 

 under surface), their shafts pure white ; bill dusky with yellowish or whitish tip; 

 naked skin of head and foreneck dusky. Length 23-27 ; extent about 54 inches." 

 Ridgivay Manual N. A. Birds. 



Habitat. South Atlantic and gulf states, north to North Carolina and the Lower 

 Ohio valley, west to the great plains, and south through Mexico and Central America 

 and most of South America, Straggling north to New York and Maine. 



The Black Vulture or Carrion Crow, as this bird is sometimes called, 

 I have never seen in Pennsylvania. Stragglers have been observed in 

 Northampton county by Dr. John W. Detwiller and Edmund Kicksecker, 

 and one was taken in Perry county by Prof. H. Justin Roddy. 



SUBORDER FA LOOSES. FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC 



FAMILY FALCONID.5S. VULTURES, FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 



SUBFAMILY ACCLPITRIN^. KITES, BUZZARDS. HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 



THE EAGLES, HAWKS, ETC. 



About a dozen species included in this subfamily are found regularly in Pennsyl- 

 vania, and of all the numerous species of bird-life occurring in this commonwealth, 

 few are better known to our people in general than are the Eagles and Hawks, some 

 of which are common at all times, or during some period of the year, in every sec- 

 tion of the state. With a few exceptions these raptores, as well as most of the owls, 

 particularly the smaller kinds of owls, are highly beneficial to the farmer and Iruit- 

 grower, because of the immense quantities of destructive mice and other injurious 

 animals, also large numbers of noxtous insects, etc., which they devour. The 

 majority of these birds build large nests of sticks, twigs, etc., on trees, some, how- 

 ever, nest on rocky ledges. The Marsh Hawk breeds on the ground, and the Little 

 Sparrow Hawk, like the Screech Owl and Woodpecker, breeds in hollow trees. The 

 eggs, usually two to five, sometimes more, are generally spotted and blotched, and 

 never spherical and white, like eggs of the owls. The adult males are usually 

 smaller than the females, and with the exception of the Marsh and Sparrow Hawks, 

 are quite similar in color. The young or immature birds, of most species, differ 

 greatly from the old. These birds catch their prey with their talons. Their cries 

 are loud and harsh. Occasionally they are seen in flocks sometimes containing 

 several species hut usually are observed singly or in pairs. The bill is short, stout 

 and strongly hooked, the head is completely feathered and without ear-tufts or 

 "horns" like some of the owls ; the tarsus, except in the Golden Eagle and Rough- 

 legged Hawks, is naked. The feet have long, strong, large, sharp and curved 

 claws ; the outer toe, except in the Fish Hawk, is not reversible. The eyes directed 

 laterally. 



