RAPTORES. Birds of Prey. 



Family XXVIII. CATHARTID.ffi. American Vultures 



CXVIII. PSEUDOGRYPHUS Ridgway. 1874. 



324. California Vulture. 



Pseudogryphus californianus (Shaw) Ridgw. 1874. 



A rare visitant at the mouth of the Fraser River, B.C., appar- 

 ently attracted by the dead safmon. 



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

 (Fannin?) This species was said by David Douglas to be a com- 

 mon 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 Mountains two fine specimens of the California 

 Vulture. (/. Fannin in The Auk, Vol. XIV, p. 89.) As the speci- 

 mens were not collected I am inclined to doiibt the occurrence of 

 this species so far east. 



CXIX. CATHARTES Illiger. 18 ii. 



325, Turkey Buzzard. 



Cathartes aura (Linn.) Spix. 1825. 

 One specimen recorded as taken in New Brunswick by Mr. 

 Boardman. [Chamberlain^ About loth January,i884, some farmers 

 in the neighbourhood of Nequac, an Acadian village on the 

 northern shore of Miramichi Bay, New Brunswick, observed what 

 they took to be a stray turkey feeding almost daily around their 

 houses and farm yards. The imposture was discovered when it 

 was found feeding on a dead sheep, and it was killed on the 29th 

 of the same month. Towards the middle of September, 1886, I 

 was astonished to learn that another Turkey Buzzard had been 

 captured by Mr. David Savoy of Black Brook, about 20 miles from 

 Nequac in a direct line. I am also informed by a gentleman who 

 saw the bird after it was killed that a Turkey Buzzard was shot 

 I 



