ORDER ACCIPITRES. 21 



T^he Black Vulture, {V.atratus,'QQ.YlYa.m. V.urubu, 

 Vieil. Wilson, Amer. Orn. F. 75, f. 2.) 



Iridescent, with black neck ; more feathers above 

 than below ; wings shortish ; tail slightly notched ; 

 nostrils linear. This species has been much con- 

 founded with the V. aura, Vieil. Amer. Orn. t. 2. 

 ' Cathartes aura, Tem. ; but it has the feathers of the 

 neck square all round ; the wings do not reach 

 beyond the tail, which is rounded, and the nostrils 

 are oval. 



The Californian Vulture, (V. Calif ornianus, Shaw. 

 V. Vulturinus, Tem. Nat. Mis. x. t. 301. pi. col. 

 t. 31.) 



Blackish ; three feet long. Feathers of the collar 

 and breast lanceolate ; wings extending beyond the 

 tail. There is a specimen in the British Museuna, 

 and another in possession of Mr. Leadbeater, both 

 which have no wattle. 



The Tawny Vulture is a Gypaetos. The Cheriway 

 and the Plaintive Vulture are LaracarcB ; and the 

 New Holland Vultures are referred by Dr. Latham 

 to the galHnaceous birds, and are said to be probably 

 Falcons by Mr. Vigors, (Lin. Trans, xii.) and by M. 

 Temminck. 



The Griffins, (Gypaetos, Storr. Phene, Savigny.) 



Were arranged by Gmelin in the genus Falco, but 

 are more nearly allied to the Vultures by their man- 

 ners and make ; like them they have the eyes even 

 with the head, the cera comparatively weak ; the 

 wings half spread when at rest ; the crop, when full, 



