142 Annals of the Carnegie Museum. 



One specimen: Mamatoco. 



"This [specimen (a female)] measures as follows: wing, 502; tail, 

 257; tarsus, 65. It is absolutely the same as northern birds in color, 

 and exceeds several of them in size. Although the series of this 

 species at hand for study is admittedly small, it leaves the impression 

 that the characters relied on to distinguish the two supposed races are 

 too slight and inconstant to justify any such formal separation. At any 

 rate, not one of the individuals measured is as large as those referred 

 to by Mr. Nelson, although several are in fine fresh plumage. No 

 Brazilian skins have been seen ; they are said to be decidedly smaller." 



The Turkey Vulture is a common bird over most of the region under 

 discussion, except that it is more abundant in the higher than in the 

 lower altitudes, as a rule entirely replacing the Black Vulture above 

 5,000 feet. It is by no means so common a bird as the other, is shyer, 

 and is not seen so much around towns and houses. 



25. Coragyps urubu (Vieillot). 



Catharista urubu brasiliensis Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., XXI, 1903, 

 27s (Bonda; crit.). 



Two specimens: Bonda. 



By the decision of the International Commission on Zoological 

 Nomenclature (Smithsonian Institution^Publication No. 2256, 1914, 

 147-9) Catharista falls as a synonoym of Cathartes, and it is necessary 

 to use Coragyps Le Maout. 



These are a trifle smaller than North American specimens, but are 

 not otherwise different, and the desirability of separating them is not 

 evident. 



The Black Vulture is an abundant bird everywhere in the vicinity of 

 towns, and appears as if by magic in all kinds of out-of-the-way 

 places whenever an animal dies. They are sluggish in their move- 

 ments, and very tame, hardly moving from beneath one's feet at times. 

 Here, as elsewhere in their range, they are extremely beneficial by re- 

 moving all decaying animal matter, as vvell as much vegetable refuse. 

 In most tropical countries they are protected by law. It is a mystery 

 where they nest in this section. In Costa Rica the writer has seen 

 young on the house-tops, and presumably the birds may breed in such 

 situations here as well, but up to date he has not met with a single 

 nest or young bird. 



