C-VTHAETES AURA, TURKEY BUZZARD. 379 



birds as abovo giveu with those of the ones I saw ; also, the facts of 

 the .youtig iu pairs, &c.] 



'' But the most singular part of this bird, and which makes it such a 

 wonder among the Sonoranians, is that it hns four wings, or appendages 

 for assisting flight ou each side of its body ; that is, a pair of wings 

 such as other birds', each with three assistant wings or winglets, joined 

 to the main ones, and folding under the main ones, next to the body. 



"An officer of the revenue-service assured me that he had seen this 

 bird at Giiaymas in 1854, in possession of Captain Spence of that port, 

 and that, according to his recollection, my Sonoranian informant was in 

 the main correct. It seems to me there can be no doubt that it is a 

 ram avis unknown to naturalists. A gentleman now living in Monterey, 

 who is, like the writer, an amateur naturalist, assures me, also, that he 

 saw a bird of this kind iu Guaymas — most likely the same one — in the 

 possession of Captain Spence, or some other foreigner there." 



Mr. Taylor further states that, according to this last informant, the 

 number of "winglets" on each side was three, not four ; and their posi- 

 tion is more particularly described. He devotes the remainder of the 

 article to proving that the "Queleli" cannot be the small Blexican Vul- 

 ture called King of the Topilot6s, nor the King Vulture, nor the Sacred 

 Vulture of Bartram. 



Leaving now these uncertainties, however intei'esting, for something 

 more definite, and confining attention to the genus Gathartes, it is to be 

 observed that of the six or seven described species, several are not 

 ]3ermaueutly distinct. The three of the United States, C. atratns, C. 

 aura and C. california?ius, with the South American G. buryorinnus, are 

 the only recognizable ones. Of these, at present, we have only to do 

 with the following : 



CATHAETES AUKA, (Linn.) 111.. 

 Turkey Buzzard. 



Fultur atira, LiNN.. Syst. Nat. i, 1766, 122 (based on TzoplMl, Herx.vsd., .331 ; JJriibu, 

 Makcg., 207; Vidtiir brcmlknsis, Buiss., i, 45ti ; Buteo specie gallo-jyavunis, 

 Gates., i, 6).— Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 240. — Lath., lucl. Orn. i, V'M, 4. — 

 Bartr., Trav. 1793, 285.— ViEilx., Ois. Am. Sept. i, 1S07, 25; pi. -i, 6fe.— Sn.nv, 

 Geu. Zool. Yii, 1809, 36.— WiLS., Am. Orn. ix, 1814, 99, pi. 75, f. 1.— LrcHT., 

 Verz. 1823, 63. — Aun., Edin. New Phil. Journ. ii, 172. — Darw., Jonrn. Res. 68. — 

 Wagl., Isis, 1831, 517.— Sells, P. Z. S. v, 33 ; Mag. Nat. Hist. 2d ,ser. i, 60S. 



Cailiartes aura, III., Prod. 1811, 236. — Guv., E. A. i, 2d ed. 317.— Spix, Av. Bras, i, 18'i5, 

 2.— YiG., Zool. Journ. ii, 384.- Less., Man. i, 1828, 73 ; Tr. Orn. 1831, 2^.— Bp., 

 Syn. 1828, 22; Isis, 1832, 1135.— Maxim., Beit, iii, 1830, 64.— Jard., ed. AVils. 

 iii, 226.— James., ed. Wils. i, 3 ; iv, 245.— Sw. & Eicn., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 4 (Sas- 

 katchewan).— Nutt., Man. i, 1832, 43.— Sw., Classif. B. ii, 1837, 205— Auix, 

 Orn. Biog. ii, 1835, 296 ; v, 1839, 339 ; pi. 151 ; Syn. 1839, 3; B. Am. i, 1640, 15, 

 pi. 2.— Bp., List, 1838, 1 ; Gousp. 1850, 9.— D'Orbig., La Sagra's Cuba, 1839, 4 ; 

 Vc.iy. Am. M(5rid. iv, 38.— ScHOMB., Guiana, 1840. 742. — Bkew., ed. Wils. 682. — 

 LiKSL., Am. Journ. xliv, 1843, 250 (Connecticut).— DeKay, N. Y. Zool. li^44, 2, 

 pi. 5, f. 12.— TSCHUDI, Wieg. Arch. 1844, 262 ; Fn. Peru, 71.— Gray, List B. Br. 

 Mus. 1844, 3 ; Gen. of B. i, 1844, 1.— Gosse, B. Jam. 1847, 1.— Peai.e, U. S. Expl. 

 Exped. 1848, 58.— Woodh., Sitgr. Eep. 1853, 58 (Indian Territorv ; New Mex- 

 ico).— Cass., 111. 1854, 57.— Brew., N. A. Oiil. 1857, 1.— Newb., P.'E. E.Eep.vi, 

 1857, 73.— Cass., B. N. A. 1858, 4 ; Pr. A. N. S. 1849, 159.— M.VXIJL, J. f. O. vi, 

 1858, 2.— Heekm., p. E. E. Eep. x, pt. vi,59.— Scl., Ibis, i, 1859, 213 (Guat emala).— 

 Bryant, Pr. Bost. Soc. vii, 1859 (Bahamas).— Scr.., P. Z. S. 18G0, 287 (Ecuador) ; 

 Ibis, ii, 1860, 222 (Honduras).— Tayl., Ibis, 18S4, 78 (Trinidad).— Coop. & 

 Srcic, N. H. Wash. Ter. 1860, 140.— Hayd., Eep. 1862, 151.— Dress., Ibis, 1865, 

 322 (Texas).— -CouES, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 42 (Arizona).— Kenn., Tr. 111. 

 Agric. Soc. i, 580 (breeding).— CouES & Prent., Smiths. Eep. 1861, 401 (resi- 

 dent at Washington, D. G.).— Wheat., Ohio Agric. Eep. 16tiO, No. 1.— BOAKn>r., 

 Pr. Bost. Soc. ix, 1862, 122 (Calais, Me. ; one instance).— Veru., Pr. Ess. Inst. 



