4 



V, S. p. B. E. EXP. AND SUEVETS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPOKT. 



Family VULTURIDAE. The Vultures. 



CATHARTES, Illiger. 



CATHAETES AUEA. (Linnaeus.) 



The Turkey Buzzard.— The Turkey Vulture. 



VvlturauTa, LiXN, Syst. Nat. I, 122. (1766.) 

 Caihartes stptmtrionalis, De Wikd, fieise, I, 16k (1839.) 

 FiGtiRES — Catesby, Nat. Hist Carolina I, pi. 6 ; Vieill. Ois. d'Am. Sept. 1, pi. 2 ; Wilson Am. Orn. IX, pi. 75, fig. 1 ; 

 And. B. of Am. pi. 151 : Oct. ed. I, pi. 2. 



Entire plumage brownish black, darkest on the back and tail abovfe, and With a jjurplish lustre, many feathers haVing 

 pale holders. Bill yellowish ; head and neck in living bird bright red. 



Plumage commencing on the neck with a circular ruff of projecting feathers. Hea^ and upper part of heck naked, or 

 with a few scattering hair-like feathers, and with the skin wrinkled. Nostrils large, oval, communicating with each other ; 

 tail ra her long, rounded. 



Total length about 30 inches, wing 23, tail 12 inches. 



Hab. All of North America, except the Arctic regions. Spec, in Nat. Mus. Wastiug'toh, and iMiis. Acad. Philadelphia. 



Specimens from the States and Territories on the Pacific are quite identical with the common 

 bird of the States on the Atlantic. On the Pacific, and throughout a vast extent of the central 

 parts of this republic, the summer range of this vulture extends northwardly into the Britiish 

 possessions, though in the northeastern States it is rarely seen north of New York. This 

 apparent difference of locality, though at present impossible to be accounted for, may be 

 regarded as fully established by recent observation in the western Territories. 



The turkey vulture is, however, well known to be much more of a souther'n than a northern 

 species. In the present collection, specimens are from California and Nebraska ; and it appears 

 to have been observed in abundance in New Mexico by the surveying party in charge of Captain 

 John Pope, U. S. Army, all the kpeciinens obtained by which are labelled as collected at the 

 junction of the Pecos and Delaware rivers. New Mexico, June, 1855. 



List bf specimens. 



'■ Oaihartet, Illlger, FrodromuB, p. 236. 1811. 



