CATHAR1STA ATRATA. 331 



GENTS It. CATIIAKISTA. TI1K SoCAKK- TAILED VULTURES. 



GEX. Cll. Bill, /unif antlruthir x/<ni/<r. II' ml, ilfftituir nffiallu rs, but the tudt it covered In hind, and there is no 

 Baited space ox /// linaft. Tail, short and si/uuri . !<l:Tnum, lony, at least e< t uuliny twice its width in lenytli. Tin fintr 

 ii.iir<;iiiril mi!' illations an ofim. Furcu/a, not i-ery wide at base. 



'uali> i- quite lliii'k, hut there are i tliiT laryngeal muscles. The inferior larynx is very small, nnd 



re no tympaniform or semilunar mem I mines, wliile tlic lower portions of brunch iuls are Dtembrnneoufl, The \ 



i< in i ii' 1 1 tin i 1,'iie.l I liiMiiii'Luiit. '!'!H' ic-iphagi|s is dilated near I lie middle into a \ery large civp, ami tlic walls arc usually 

 In. The pro\entrieul:i> is yen largo, wi:'i tin- walls quite thick, and 10111)11 scd uf numerous, small. Dimple, glands, 



arranged in a znniilar haml which nira<urc< IVutn I'tKl to T25 in width. Thestoinach is small, smicwhat filnlnilar in iorin, 



with quite thin walN, lined with a s .ft membrane. There is n pyloric lobe, '75 in diameter. The fold of the i!iio'!.-n;:m 

 . mi asnrini; from 8'00 to lO'OO, an i incl.ises a >mall, tiTci^ularly F rniod ]>ancrcas which only oi'cupics a -iimt 



portion of its entire length, near stomach. Cicea, wanting. Both l,.lie< ol the liver are short, thick, and nearly equal in 

 Flic heart is la rue and triangular in form. The spleen is nn oval-shnped body situated on the proventriculus. There 



i l>ut one species within our limits. 



CATHARISTA ATRATA. 

 Black-headed Buzzard. 



Cotharisla atrata (iiiAV, Hand List, I; 1869. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sr. Cn. Form, robust. Size, large. Sternum, stunt, with the keel considerably arched. Tongue, moderately long, 

 'leepl\ eoncare above, and the flire-are provided with numerous, fine soft papillae which point backward. The 

 tip i< rounded lint not bifid. Sexes, similar in color. 



<u. Adult, riiit'.irin dark liruwnish-black throughout, with a greenish iridescence on both surfaces, beedining 

 on i lie primaries, especially on the outer webs of two thirds of the basal portions, where the colors are very light, 

 and the -hafi- are white. 



Yuan;/, (tnite similar to the adult, but less iridescent and the feathers extend up further on the back of the neck, 

 reaching the occiput. 



Nestlings. Are, at lirst, covered with a dirty-white down then gradually assume the plumage last described. Head 

 and neck, black and covered with short, black hairs, iris,. hi", and feet, dark-brown, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



There is 11 little variation in plumage, some specimens lx;ing darker or lighter than the type. This species may be at 

 ." the square tail, black head and colors as described. Distributed, as a constant resident, throughout the 

 Carolina-; and southward, not very common north of this point but straggling into New England as far as Maine. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of female specimens from Florida. Length, 26 - 00; stretch, SS'OO; wing, 17 - 25; tail, R 00; bill, 

 1 1.5; lur-ii-. :;_'-. Longest specimen, 27-00; greatest extent ofwing, (V)-(Ki; longest win;;, IS'OO; tail.i-t-50; bill, T30; tarsus, 

 3-3.x -iieeimen, 25'00: smallest i-xtent i,C win.u. :><;(); ubi iti-t wini;, IG-.W; tail, 7'50; hill, 1-00; tarsus, ^J.'i. 



ii-eiiii-nts of mule specimens from Florida. Length, 25'00; stretch, .17 jVI; wing. lo-7.">: tail, 7'45; hill, 



I'lO; tai-su-. 3-15. Longest specimen, 26'dO; greatest extent of wing, 59 - 00; longest wing, 17'50; tail, 7'75: bill, rail: tar- 



JO. Shortest specimen, 24'IX); smallest extent of wing, 56'Otl; sl.orttst wing, lfi'00; tail, 7-00; bill, I'OO; tarsus, 3'00. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed on the ground or occasionally on prostrate logs, in the woods; but little or no material is used in con- 

 structing them. 



S one or two in number, varying from elliptical to oval in form, yellowish-white or creamy in color, blotched and 

 spotted with very dark-brown and umber. Dimensions from 2'05 x 3'00 to 2' 10 x 3' 10. 



11AIHTS. 



As will be seen by the description, the Black-headed Vultures differ greatly from the 

 preceding species in form and anatomical structure, and they also differ widely in habit; 

 so widely, in fact, that the two species scarcely have any peculiarities in common. It is 



