144 POPULAR OFFICIAL GUIDE. 
is clad in royal robes, and color-decked to match. Its range 
extends from Mexico and Central America to Trinidad and 
Brazil. The visitor should not fail to see this gorgeously 
eaparisoned body of white, cream-yellow and black, and 
head of orange, purple and crimson. 
Black Vulture, (Catharista urubu)—These ill-favored but 
very useful birds are quite abundant, and even semi-domes- 
ticated, in some of our southern cities. This is.due to the 
protection accorded them, because of their valuable services 
as scavengers. They are said to devour every particle of 
exposed organic refuse, and in a warm climate these services 
are of more value than we in the north can realize. 
The Yellow-Headed Vulture, (Cathartcs urobitinga), of 
northern South America, is a much handsomer bird than 
its two preceding relatives. It has much the same feeding 
habits, but 1s very rare and delicate in captivity. 
The California Condor, (Gymnogyps californianus).—This 
is one of the rarest, and to all Americans the most interest- 
ing, bird of prey in the Park. The species is confined to a 
very small area in the rugged mountains of southern and 
lower California, and beyond all doubt, the skin-collecting 
ornithologists will exterminate it within the next twenty 
years, or less. 
The Griffon Vulture, (Gyps pulvus), and the Kolbe Vul- 
ture, (G. kelbi), are Old World birds and although more 
closely related to the eagles than to the vultures of the New 
World, resemble the latter in general habits. 
Differing strongly from its congeners in general appear- 
ance, is the Eared Vulture, (Otogyps auricularis). This rare 
bird is ‘a native of North Africa, where it feeds on such ecar- 
rion as it is able to find. Its bare, wrinkled head and neck 
and great bill give it a decidedly gruesome appearance. 
The Red-Tailed Hawk, (Butco borealis) —The ‘‘Hen 
Hawk,” or ‘‘Chicken Hawk,’’ is one of our commonest birds 
of prey. It hardly merits its common name, as its favorite 
food is mice and other small mammals. This is the hawk 
seen, in the fall of the year, going south in flocks, sometimes 
of one hundred or more. 
One of the most splendid members of the collection is the 
Harpy Eagle, (Thrasactus harpyia), of South America. The 
remarkably large legs and claws indicate the great strength 
which enables the bird to prey upon sloths, monkeys, and 
other fairly large animals. 
