SHUFFLDT.] OSTEOLOGY OF THE CATHARTIDA. 785 
a very decided median groove that passes clear round its entire sur- 
face; this feature is usually absent‘on the lateral processes, of which 
the outer is the smaller; these are placed slightly to the rear of the 
middle one, particularly in the Condors, least of all in Catharista, in 
which Vulture all three are nearly in the same transverse plane. The 
concave facet for the os metatarsale accessorium is more than usually 
distinct, and this bone in the recent skeleton is attached after the com- 
mon rule by ligament merely; it is twisted upon itself, rather long, but 
not so long as in Neophron in proportion, and supports its ordinary 
toe, of a joint or phalanx and an osseous claw. 
Perhaps there is no better way of calling the reader’s attention to the 
points of interest that are to be found in the feet of these birds than by 
comparing such a Vulture as Gyparchus papa, that has represented in 
these parts all of the characters of the Cathartide, with Neophron per- 
cnopterus, that as far as we know possesses in its foot all of the striking 
characteristics of the vulturine birds of the Old World. The joints:of 
the toes follow the usual avian rule of 2, 3, 4, and 5 segments to the 
first, second, third, and fourth toes, respectively. In the first or hind 
toe of Gyparchus, and in all of the Cathartida, the proximal joint is long 
and about equally dilated at either extremity, while in Neophron the 
end that articulates by its concave trochlear surface with the os meta- 
tarsaleaccessorium is very much expanded transversely, while at the same 
time it is compressed from above downwards. The bony tubercle found 
at the under side of the proximal extremity of all of the claws is quite an 
insignificant affair in our Vultures as compared with the protuberance we 
find in Neophron, and, moreover, the claws are very much more curved in 
this latter bird than they are in the Cathartide. The proximal joint of 
the inside toe of Gyparchus is long, having all the characteristics of the 
other long segments of the foot, while in Neophron it is a markedly short 
and irregular bone, having, to be sure, its ordinary articular surfaces, 
one at either extremity. This difference can be made more evident by 
simple measurement; the first and second joints of the inside toe of 
Gyparchus measure respectively 2.2 and 2.5 centimeters in Neophron 
percnopterus the same segments .7 and 2.4 centimeters, respectively. It 
is very interesting for us to know that in this matter of the shortening 
of the first joint of the inside toe Neophron follows all of the Falconida 
or their American representatives that we have been able to examine. 
Differences in the hind toe are not so striking, the segments in both 
birds being long and proportionately balanced, but in the outside toe 
again we discover a leaning on the part of Neophron towards the Mal- 
conide, while Gyparchus, in common with the rest of its well-marked 
family, still adheres to a proportionate equipoise in length of the inter- 
nodes, this time it occurs in the second and third joints of the toe in 
question. These we will also compare by measurement: in Gyparchus, 
first, second, third, and fourth segments measure 1.8, 1.4, 1.1, and 1.6 
centimeters, respectively; in Neophron the same segments measure, in 
the same order, 1.2, .5, .4, and 1.5 centimeters. 
In closing this monograph the writer did intend to give a general 
synoptical table, but upon second consideration believes the various 
tables already presented will sufficiently illustrate and compare, not 
only the decided generic differences among the Cathartide themselves, 
both as to external characters and the more deep-seated internal and 
osseous distinctions, but also serve sufficiently to individualize the group 
as a family ; so that, upon reviewing all that we have endeavored to pre- 
sent upon the osteology of these birds, we firmly believe that the 
reader will agree with us that our investigations have not only confirmed 
the fact that the Cathartidw are widely distinct from the Old World 
50 H 
