4632 Birds. 



Note on the Great Vulture of California (Cathartes vel Sarcoramphus 

 Californianus). By Alexander S. Taylor, Esq., of Monterey. 

 Communicated by J. H. Gurney, Esq. 



The great Californian vulture — the northern representative of the 

 condor of South America — is a species which is not only one of great 

 intrinsic interest, but also one of extreme rarity in European collec- 

 tions, and respecting which we possess but meagre and scanty in- 

 formation. 



The following notes, written on the spot by my ingenious and able 

 friend Mr. Taylor, will, I am sure, be acceptable to the readers of the 

 ' Zoologist," and will require no comment from me, except it be to re- 

 mark that, should the statement respecting the edible qualities of this 

 vulture's egg excite a doubt, it is to be remembered that Le Vaillant 

 makes a similar observation respecting the eggs of two of the large 

 vultures of Southern Africa. 



J. H. Gurney. 



Catton, Norfolk, February 12, 1855. 



A fine specimen of this bird was killed on the beach at Monterey, 

 a few days ago. It was a female, and weighed, when killed, 20 rbs. 

 avoirdupois. The following are its dimensions and proportions : from 

 beak to the end of tail-feathers, 4 feet 6 inches ; from tip to tip of 

 wing, stretched out, 8 feet 4 inches ; one wing, 3 feet 3 inches ; tail- 

 feathers, 12 in number and 15 inches long; from ruffle on the neck 

 to vent, 2 feet 9 inches. It has 32 brachial feathers on each wing ; 

 the five long outer wing-feathers measure 2 feet 5 inches each; its 

 breadth across the breast-bone is 8 inches ; under the wings and over 

 the breast it has a long triangular layer of dirty white feathers, and 

 the outside of the lower part of the wings is also dashed with a few 

 feathers tipped white. 



The head, down to the commencement of the beak, is covered with 

 a beautiful lemon-coloured loose skin. The beak is 1 J inch long, and 

 curved over with a point as hard as iron, with a waved edge as sharp 

 as a knife : the under beak is a perfect half cylinder, into which fits, 

 with the nicest accuracy, a hollow tongue of the same shape : this 

 tongue is a curious feature, being l£ inch long by £ an inch broad, 



