CATIIAUTID.E — THE AMERICAN VULTUUES. 337 



ol)liquely dowiiwinil, iicimss tlu' neck to iionrtliu lower extremity of the 

 gnl.ir wattle ; lower part of tlu; forencck witii a ])endeiit llesliy iipiieii- 

 (lage. Plumage bejfiuiiiiig below ilie iieek l)y a ereseentio ruff of soft 

 while down, or cottony feathers, around the posterior portion. Pri- 

 maries longer than the secondaries; front of the tibio-tarsal joint 



feathered SarcDrliamphwi} 



Sexes alike, the I'eniale possessing the earuneiilar appendages of the 

 head as well as the male. Frontal lobe attached to only the middle 

 ))ortion ol' the cere, aliove the nostril; ilnoat without a ine(lian wattle; 

 side of the neck without any caruncles; no apijeiulafje on the foreneek ; 

 auricular region with longitudinal corrugations,- an.' occiput densely 

 haired. Plumage beginning below the neck by a ruli' of broad, well- 

 developed, normal feathers. Primaries not longer than the secondaries. 



Front of the tibio-tarsal joint naked Catlinries* 



B. (Viip feathered. Male without a fleshy crest, or other appendages, on the 

 head. Uill less robust, variable as to strength, its outlines only moderately con- 

 vex ; cer(! nearly ccpial to iho head in length. Sexed alike. 



a. Entire neek bare; i)lumage commencing abruptly in a ndf of lanceolate, 

 or penicillate fealhers, these (!ontinued on the breast and abdomen. Head 

 mni'h elongated, the U])per outline a -slightly convex i)lane, the forehead 

 depressed liclow the level of the very elevated dorsal outline of the cere. 

 Posterior claw very thick and strongly curved. 



2. PseudogryphuB. Nostril occupying only the posterior third ol' tho 

 na.sal orilice, its anterior end acute. Bill weak, the terminal hook only 

 slightly developed, tho mandibles broader than deep, the lower as deep 

 as the upper. Head and neck w't)iout corrugations or cannicles. 

 Tarsus .slightly longer than the middle toe; fourth or fifth quill longest; 

 extremities of the (piills reaching to or beyond the end of the tail. Tail 

 ev(>n. (P. cdUfomianus.) 



h. Only the upper half, or le.ss, of the neck bare ; plumage commencing 

 gradually with norm.'d, broad featheis ; feathers of breast and abdomen 

 broad and normal. Head only mo<lerately elongated, the upper outline 

 irregular, the forehead elevated above the dorsal outline of the cere. Bill 

 strong, the terminal hook well developed. Posterior claw weaker, less 

 curved. 



3. RhinogryphuB. Nostril occupying the whole of the nasal cavity, 

 its anterior end broadly rounded ; cere as deep as broad, the up|)er and 

 lower outlines divergent posteriorly, the former considi-rably arched; 

 lower mandible much less deep than the upper. Skin of the neck with- 

 out corrugations; a semicircular tuft of antrorse radiating bristles in 

 front of the eye. Wing very long, the primaries re.iohing to or l)eyond 

 the end of the tail. Tail much rounded, (/i. aura and R. hurrnviitnus.) 



4. Catharista. Nostril occupying only the posterior half of the nasal 

 cavity, its anterior end contracted and acute; cere depressed, much 

 wider than deep, its ui)per and lower outlines parallel, the former not 

 perceptibly arched; lower mandible as deep as the upper; skin of the 

 neck transversely corrugated; no tuft of bristles in front of tiie eye. 

 Wing short, the primaries reaching scarcely to the middle of the tail. 

 Tail even, or slightly emarginate. (C. atratus.) 



» Snrcorlmmpliit/i, DfMfcmi,, 180(5. (Type, rul/iir r/n/phiis, Linn.) 



« CMMrten, Il.MOKit, 1811. (Typo, Fu//iir 2>(il>", LiSN.) Giiimr,icx, VlF.lI.t,. 181(i. (.Simiim 

 type.) Oi/parchus, Ghoa. lSi2. (Same type.) Hanorhamjihus, Aver, (in part). 

 VOL. 111. 43 



