SHUFELDT.] OSTEOLOGY OF THE CATHARTIDA. 781 
ing for its entire length the lower ischial border, except in Gyparchus, 
where quite an interspace seems to exist. Its outer or posterior ex- 
tremity is produced well beyond the other pelvic bones, to curve inwards 
towards its fellow of the opposite side, from which it is separated by a 
varying space two and a half centimeters in our specimen of Sarcor- 
hamphus, nearly one and ahalf in C. auraand Catharista. That portion - 
of the outer and lateral surface of the ilium that is posterior to the 
ischiadie foramen, and below the continuation of the gleuteal ridge, 
looks downwards and outwards; opposed to it, below, is the ischial sur- 
face looking upwards and outwards; these bones thus form a longi- 
- tudinal and shallow furrow between them, the anterior extremity being 
in the posterior are of the ischiadic foramen, the posterior extremity 
terminating in the apex of a notch that is found between the ilium and 
ischium in the posterior pelvic margin. This notch is acute or angular 
in the Condors and the King Vulture, but rounded in the Turkey Buz- 
zard and the Carrion Crow; it is very distinctive of the Cathartide, 
none of the Old World Vultures or the Falconide apparently possessing 
it, it being absent in all of the representatives of these latter birds that 
we have before us, the nearest approach to it being in Gypogeranus. 
In reviewing the forms of the pelves of these Vultures and comparing 
them with each other we find, of course, for size, that the bone is largest 
in Pseudogryphus and Sarcorhamphus gryphus, and indeed in these two 
birds the pelves are very like each other. In general outline, and dif- 
fering from the Condors, we find the pelves of Catharista and Gyparchus 
to be nearest alike, and to this couplet the pelvis of Neophron percnop- 
terus approaches quite near, while Cathartes aura has a pelvis of a form 
differing from all the rest, and peculiarly its own, being at once recog- 
nized by the separation of the ilia anteriorly by the broad neural spine, 
and by its greater width as compared with its depth and length. 
As already hinted, the pelvic limb of these Vultures is a very well 
developed one, and in every respect equally so with the pectoral 
extremity, which we have described above. a, 
Among the species there are but few and trifling differences, except 
in point of size, though we note some departures from the typical form 
assumed by the Cathartide in Neophron, a Vulture that has a lower 
extremity more like the true falconine birds, as it did an upper one. 
We find the pelvic limb in the Cathartide to consist of the usual 
number of bones for birds throughout the class, and, as a matter of some 
interest and no little importance, we insert here a table showing the 
comparative lengths. of these segments, given in centimeters and their 
fractions, just as we did for the pectoral limb, choosing the same species 
and specimens to measure from, so that the two tables can be compared 
and the balance between the two limbs of any species taken into con- 
sideration; this will show at once the well-known discrepancy existing 
in Gypogeranus. 
Table showing the lengths of the bones of thé pelvic limb in the Cathartida, given in centi- 
meters ; also of Neophron percnopterus and Gypogeranus. 
Tarso-meta- 
Species. Femur. Tibia. Facer 
BP, CUP OT IVEENAUR Some ce aie aA a ae Pinte ew ere alc edateleia ata loach era STE 13. 6 22, 12. 
D5 UU RC Pree COLD EE LOD OBOE CDEC IOC BOD EB OR IRENE APORe DHE aecie ae 14.8 23. 12.5 
QUDODE manta wera ree cice see seas aia ete sae are bee een ne claieenes 10.1 17. 9.2 
OV CGE sas omc ainlsma sole sia ba empleo oa i elo ate wa te ae cee es Sees Te 11.9 6. 4 
COL TAG L ETI ERG (01) 70 5 ae eee Ras be Sena ss SEER SN aaa yeh es 9.3 14.8 8.6 
IN EMDENCRLODLET ae ta fae eee car eae cate me ee ote Mei cine 7.3 11.8 7.5 
GSCHDENTAT TUS as aaea—acee = ade ace ean ciec es boca ee ee ae ceo me soot 11. 80.1 29. 1 
a a a ee aR et te te ae ES Se 
