CATIIAIITID.K-TIIK AMEUlfAN Vri/ri'KKS. 33;) 



3.00; postc'iiiii', l.lit; iiiiiMlu diiw (l(>li<,'i'sl), l.'iK; posteriDi- (sliurtcsl), l.!)0. Toliil 

 ll'll^tll, .1.') - ."jO ; fXtrlil uf will^s, iihdill 1) i)l' ll) fui'l. 



A'hilf. Itill yullowi.sh wliitu ; niiUuil skin of llic lii'ud niul iifi'k oraiifjt' niul I'od ; iris 

 (.■iinuiiii' (autliors). Ociifial i)liiiiiii,i.'is dull liliick, the iippcr surfacu with n liiiiit bliiisli 

 liisiri', tile fcatlicrs (I'Xci'ptiii;,' tin primary coverts, secondary eovurts, mid n'nii};i's) pass- 

 in;,' inlii ilull lirownisli on llicir niarfjiiis, prodncuiLr a scpiaiiialo a])poiiranii'. Scapulars 

 and (nidH' apprecialily) llio sfcoiiduries and llu;ir ciovcris with a hoary grayisli cast, llic 

 lalliT wliilr lor most of llioir exposud portions (prodnrin^' a hand ai'ross the win^'), the 

 wliilo Collowinn' tliu (■di,'L's oC ihc sucondarii's nearly lo their ends; primaries and tail- 

 iealher.'-, willi their shafts, nnilorm dee|) l>lai,>k. Whole lining' of die wing (oxeept the 

 outer border) nnil axillnrs pure white. Lower parts eonlimions dull earlionaeeous-lilaek, 

 the tips of the peni<'illale feathers with a hoary or chalky tinge. (No. 41.(14!), Monterey, 

 California; Dr. C. A. Canlicld. Wing, .'32.00; tail. 1').00 ; enhnen, l.ad; depth of hill, 

 l.'JO ; length of head, 7.00 ; cere, on toi), li.OO ; [Joint of hill to anii'rior end of nostril, 2.50; 

 tarsMs, ,").()(); middle^ toe, 4.20.) 



Viiiiii;/. Bill dii.sky ; nakeil skin of the head and neck ilusky, and more or le.s.'* covered 

 wiih soft, griiyish down. I'lmnage dnller black, with the white wholly nb.senl. (Xo. 

 41.7(1". Monterey; C. A. Canlield. .Measmenieiits as in tho last.) 



Lo(,-alilies; Fort Yuma (Couks, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sc. IStJO, 42). 



ll.vi!. Pacilic Coast region from mouth of tho Colorado to the Columliia? Southern 

 Utah (Hkssuaw). 



Ii.\i!!i'.s. Tliis liir<i;e Vulture, so tar a.s is known, is restricted to tlio area 

 on the I'acific ('oa.st i'roni the Columbia River to tiie Coltjrado, iiiul extendino; 

 as far to the east as the Sierra Xevada. None are known to htne been taken 

 in Mexieo, and it very rarely o;oes north oi' the Columbia It is said to 

 be most connnon in the iiot interior valleys of Ctdifbrnia, where are larj^e 

 herds of cattle, upon which it, to a large extent, depends for its food. JJr. 

 Cooper .saw none on the Colorado, and met with none east of the San Ber- 

 nardino Mountains. Even at Fort Mohave the cattle killed during the five 

 months he resided there did not attrsict one of these Vultures. 



Dr. Cooper did not see these binis in any number along the sea-coast, and 

 has noticed none on the islands or in the highest Sierra Xevada. Yet they 

 are said, when other food is scarce, to feed on dead seals and whales ; but 

 this fact he has never witnessed. 



Dr. Newberry states that it was to him a pleasant ])ortion of every day's 

 experience, in liis march through the Sacramento Valley, to watch the grace- 

 ful evolutions of this Vulture. In its colors the combination was a ])leasing 

 one, while its (light was easy and effortless beyond that of any other bird. 

 Tliough a common bird in California, he found it much more shy and diffi- 

 cult to siioot than its associate, the Turkey- Huzzard ; anil it was never seen 

 in such nundjers or exhiliiting such familiarity as the smtdler species which 

 swarm, and tire such efHcient scavengers, in our southern cities. Afttn- his 

 piirty left the Sacramento \'alley, he saw very few in the Klamath I^tisin, 

 and met with none within tho limits of Oregon. It is occasionally found 

 there, but much more rarely than in California. 



Dr. Newbeny states that a fine s]iecimen presented to Dr. Sterling on his 

 return to San Francisco ate freely of the meat given him, and was for some 



