SARCORHAilPHUS. 207 



1S90 (Berbice) : Beebe. Our Search for a Wilderness, p. 137, 1012 

 (Barima) ; Brabourne & Cbubb, B. S. Amer. i. p. 61, no. 5(56, 1912. 



Adult male. Lesser upper ^-ing-coverts pale yellow with a 

 pinkish tinge ; remainder of wings, lower back, and tail black ; 

 head and neck bare with sides of the face, top of head, and nape 

 more or less covered with black hair; a collar of slate-grer 

 feathers snrronnds the lower neck; the remainder of the uuder- 

 snrface white, iuclndino; the axillaries and under wino;-coverts. 



Total length 765 mm., culmen 32, wing 500. tail 220, tarsus 94, 

 middle toe and claw 107, 



The dtfscription is taken from a specimen collected on the 

 Rnpnnnni River, November 16, 1900. 



Breedinp-season. Tjnknown in British Guiana. 



J^^esL Unrecorded in British Guiana. 



Bags. Undescribed from British Guiana. 



jRange in British Guiana. Rupununi River. Great Savanna=, 

 ^lazaruni River (McConnell collection) ; Berbice River (Quelch) ; 

 ►Siparuni River (Broicn) ; Barima River {Beehe). 



Bxtralimital Range. Tropical South America and Central 

 America to Mexico. 



Ilahits. Schomburgk (Reis. Guian. ii. p. 500) writes : — I arrived 

 at K-ishwima Hill, where I saw some hundreds of Black Vultures 

 resting on the trees. This surprised me, and I mentioned it to 

 the natives, who at once informed me that there must be a carcase 

 near on which the Wouraerepos [Vxdtur papa) must l>e feeding, 

 as the Cathartes respectfully wait until the former are satisfied. 

 Hearing this I at once decided to land for the sake of satisfying 

 myself on this much dis}>uted matter. Attracted by the stench of 

 the carcase, which proved to be a iiger-cat, we crawled to the 

 spot. Six of these beautiful birds, three males and three females, 

 were on the carcase. As soon as they discovered us they flew to 

 the nearest tree. I was able from where I lay to shoot one of the 

 males, but wounded it ouly. I took it into my boat. I may 

 mention that in rising these Vultures make, probably with their 

 wings, a most peculiar noise. When one of these birds has 

 satisfied its hunger on a decomposed carcase it is impossible to 

 go anywhere near it, owing to the unpleasant odours emitting 

 from its mouth. I noticed that the wounded bird when close by 

 my side, in the boat, smelt of musk. The beautiful colours of 

 the soft parts fade away immediately after death. The report 



