CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS 239 



RAPTORES. Birds of Prey. 



Family XXVIII. CATHARTID^. American Vultures. 

 CXL. GYMNOGYPS. Sesson. 1842. 



324. California Vulture. 



Gymnogyps californianus (Shaw) Sesson. 1842. 



A rare visitant at the mouth of the Fraser river, B.C., apparently 

 attracted by the dead salmon. 



In September, 1880, I saw two of these birds at Burrard Inlet. 

 {Fannin.) This species was said by David Douglas to be a common 

 species as far north as the 49th parallel in 1826. At that time it 

 was extremely abundant in the valley of the Columbia between the 

 Grand Rapids and the Pacific. {Richardson.) Seen on Lulu island 

 (in the Fraser river near its mouth) as late as "three or four years 

 ago" by Mr. W. London. None seen since 1892. {Rhoads.) On the 

 loth September, 1896, I saw between Calgary and the Rocky moun- 

 tains two fine specimens of the California vulture. (/. Fannin in 

 The Auk, Vol. XIV, p. 89.) As the specimens were not collected 

 we are inclined to doubt the occurrence of this species so far east. 



CXLI. CATHARTES. Illiger. 1811. 



325. Turkey Buzzard. 



Cathartes aura (Linn.) Spix. 1825. 



A turkey buzzard was shot in 1905 near Renews, not far from 

 the whale factory at Aquaforte, Newfoundland. {Wm. Brewster.) 

 Mr. John Crowell informs me that he has taken a specimen at Seal 

 island, Yarmouth county, N.S. {H. F. Tufts.) Accidental in New 

 Bruhswick. One was taken in Victoria county and is now in the 

 Crown Lands Department at Fredericton. Another was observed 

 the same spring but no dates were given. {W. H. Moore.) One 

 specimen recorded as taken in New Brunswick by Mr. Boardman. 

 {Chamberlain.) About loth January, 1884, some farmers in the 

 neighbourhood of Nequac, an Acadian village on the northern 



