OF THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 153 



golden ; a velvety-black spot on the auriculars and others on the wing- 

 coverts and scapulars ; middle tail feathers like back, the rest ashy-blue at 

 the base, then crossed by a black bar, then white or ashy-white ; bill very 

 slender, black ; feet carmine ; the female and young differ as in the wild 

 pigeon ; length, 11-13 ; wing, 5-6 ; tail, 6-7. 



Hab. North America, from Southern Maine, Southern Canada, and 

 Oregon, south to Panama and the West Indies. 



Nest usually in a tree or bush, sometimes on a log or on the ground, 

 con^posed mostly of twigs. 



Eggs, 2 ; pure white. 



The Mourning Dove breeds sparingly throughout Southern 

 Ontario, but is more common farther south. It feeds in the 

 open fields on berries, buckwheat, and the seeds of certain 

 weeds, but on being disturbed seeks shelter in the nearest 

 woods. 



It is a gentle, timid species, and as it does not occur with 

 us in sufficient numbers to make it worth following, it is seldom 

 disturbed. It is one of the most difficult birds the collector 

 undertakes to handle, the skin being so tender that should the 

 bird be brought down even from a moderate height the fall is 

 almost sure to burst the skin and destroy the specimen: For the 

 same reason the grea.test care is necessary when preparing the 

 skin for the cabinet. 



Order RAPTORES. Birds of Prey. 



Suborder SARCORHAMFHI. American Vultures. 



Family CATHARTID.^. American Vultures, 



Genus CATHARTES Illiger. 



130. CATHARTES AURA (Linn.). 325. 



Turkey Vulture. 



Blackish-brown ; quills ashy-gray on their under surface ; head red ; feet 

 flesh-colored ; bill white. Skin of the head corrugated, sparsely beset with 

 bristle-like feathers ; plumage commencing in a circle on the neck ; tail 

 rounded. Length, about 2J feet ; extent, 6 ; wing, 2 ; tail, i. 



Hab. Temperate North America, from New Jersey, Ohio Valley, 

 Saskatchewan region, and Washington Territory southward to Patagonia. 

 Casual northward on the Atlantic coast to Maine. 



