272 



DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY. 



being pointed and less than twice the length of the tail, with their primary quills 

 considerably longer than the secondaries. The present species (Catharista atrata), 

 which is the sole representative of its genus, is characterised by the squared ex- 

 tremity of the tail, and by the interval between the tips of the primaries and 

 secondaries being less than the length of the metatarsus. In colour the black 

 vulture is a nearly uniform black, although the shafts of the primary quills are 



AMERICAN BLACK VULTURE ( liat. size). 



white on both sides, and those of the tail-feathers brown above and white beneath. 

 Both the beak and feet are bluish, while the iris is dark brown. The total length 

 is only about 25 inches. Its regular range extends from about the northern 

 frontier of Patagonia to North Carolina and Texas ; while irregularly, or casually, 

 the bird is found as far north as New York and South Dakota. In the States 

 it is commonly known as the carrion crow. With the exception of the extreme 

 northern portion of its range, the black vulture is a resident species in the 

 districts it frequents; and is far more abundant near the coast than in the 

 interior, in the United States being more numerous than the turkey -vulture 



