Family 5. Cathartid^:. American Vultures, Turkey Vultures, and Condors. 



Carrion feeders having head chiefly naked; a lengthened weak-hooked bill; completely perforate nostrils, without 

 bony septum; feet unsuited to grasping, with bluish claws, the hind toe much shortened and somewhat elevated; 

 wings enlarged, lengthened, and powerful. Large gull to giant size. Birds of this group spend much time awing, 

 or when carrion is found gorge to repletion. Their plumage is somber and almost unchanging, and is often charged 

 with a fetid odor, that of carrion. Eggs, I or 2, plain or highly pigmented. The young are covered with a whitish 

 down, and have a long dependency on the ledge or in the cave which serves for nest. Six species, of which 2 Cali- 

 fornian. 



I. Largest; length up to 4^2 feet; a large white blotch on under side 



of wing in adult. 339. California Condor. 



II. Medium sized; length up to 2}4 feet; unicolored, save for red 



head. 340. Turkey Vulture. 



Family 

 Characters those of the order. 

 I. Lores feathered. 



Order 17. ANSERES. 

 Anatid^e. Ducks, Geese and Swans. 



Bill cylindrical (Mergintz — Mergansers). Sexes unlike. 

 . Bill about as long as head; loosely crested. 



a. Nostrils near middle of bill; male with breast not distinctively 



colored. 



b. Nostrils near base of bill; breast (of male) cinnamon-rufous 



streaked with black. 

 . Bill shorter than head; crest (of male) highly developed. 

 Bill more or less flattened at tip; sexes unlike. 

 . Hind-toe simple {Anatins — River Ducks). 



a. Head crested; bill narrow. 



b. Head not crested. 



(1). Bill much broadened at tip, "spoon-shaped." 

 (2). Bill not spoon-shaped. 



(a). Tail lengthened, tapering, longest feathers more 



than half as long as wing, 

 (b). Tail not lengthened, not half as long as wing. 

 (a 1 ). "Speculum" (subterminal portion of seconda- 

 ries) metallic blue or purplish violet. 

 (a 2 ). Speculum bordered by white. 

 (b 2 ). Speculum not bordered by white. 

 (b 1 ). Speculum not metallic blue or purplish violet. 

 (a 2 ). Speculum white. 

 (b 2 ). Speculum not white. 



(a 3 ). Larger, length above 18 inches; wing length 

 over 9.00 (mm 228). 

 (a 4 ). A large white patch on fore part of wing. 

 (a 5 ). Top of head cinnamon (male) or ochra- 



ceous (female). 

 (b 5 ). Top of head white, lightly touched with 

 blackish. 

 (b 4 ). No white patch on fore part of wing. 

 (b 3 ). Smaller, length less than 17 inches; wing 

 under 9.00 (mm 228). 

 (a 4 ). A large blue patch on fore part of wing. 

 (a 5 ). Male chiefly chestnut-red below; bill 



about 1.80 (mm 45.7) (352). 

 (b 5 ). Male without chestnut; a white cres- 

 cent on side of head; bill of both sex- 

 es 1.60 (mm 40.6) or less. 

 (b 4 ). No blue patch on wing. 



(a 5 ). A white bar on side of breast (of male) 

 (b 5 ). No white bar on breast. 

 . Hind toe with a broad thin flap (Fuligulina — Sea Ducks), 

 a. General plumage black, varied, or not, by white. 

 (1). Plumage entirely black. 



(2). Speculum and a spot below and including eye white. 

 (3). Nape and forehead white. 



341. American Merganser. 



342. Red-breasted Merganser. 



343. Hooded Merganser. 



355. Wood Duck. 



353. Shoveller. 



354. Pintail (male). 



344. Mallard. 



345. Black Duck. 



346. Gadwall. 



347. European Widgeon. 



348. Baldpate. 



353. Pintail (female and young). 



352. Cinnamon Teal. 



351. Blue-winged Teal. 



350. Green-winged Teal. 

 349. European Teal. 



367. American Scoter. 



368. White-winged Scoter. 



369. Surf Scoter. 



2092 



