72 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



county for the year 1886 paid $1,529.00 as follows : 1,356 skunks at 

 50 cents ; 377 foxes ; 383 hawks ; 172 weasels ; 57 owls ; 13 wild-cats; 

 712 scalp affidavits at 20 cents. From the large number of skunks 

 returned it would appear that this county has a " special act," which 

 allows bounty for these animals. Delaware county, on December 22, 

 1886, had paid bounty on 3 foxes ; 22 hawks and one weasel. Perry 

 county for 1886 paid for foxes, minks weasels and wild-cats $468.85, 

 and for hawks and owls $760.60. Chester county for 1886 paid 

 $1,159.30 for 827 hawks, 108 owls, 231 minks, 334 weasels, 111 foxes 

 and $288.30 for affidavits. The largest amount of bounty was paid by 

 Crawford county, which was forced to make an outlay of over ten 

 thousand dollars, a large portion of which was for hawks and owls. 

 In conclusion I might add that by the enforcement of this unjust leg- 

 islative act the countytreasuries, in a period of about eighteen months, 

 were depleted to the extent of nearly $100,000, of which sum, prob- 

 ably, not less than $65,000 were paid for the destruction of hawks and 

 owls. Agriculturists, naturalists and others engaged in the protection 

 of these birds are under great obligations to the able Chairman of the 

 Senate Agricultural Committee, Hon. A. D. Harlan, of Chester 

 county, Pa. Senator Harlan, after being in receipt of numerous reso- 

 lutions passed by farmers' clubs, institutes and grange organizations 

 throughout this Commonwealth, when waited upon by members of the 

 State Agricultural Board and a committee of naturalists, and being 

 convinced that the preservation of raptorial birds was of utility to the 

 farmer as well as gratifying to the scientist, at once gave his careful 

 attention to the matter, and by his earnestness and industry in his 

 committee and in the body of which he is a member, did very much 

 to secure the repeal of this pernicious statute. 



ORDER RAPTOEES. BIRDS OF PREY. 



SUBORDER SARCORHAMPHI. VULTURES. 

 FAMILY CARTHARTID-ffi. AMERICAN VULTURES. 



GENUS CATHARTES. ILLIGER. 

 325. Cathartes aura (LINN). 



Turkey Vulture; Turkey Buzzard. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Entire plumage brownish-black, darkest on the back and tail above, and with a 

 purplish lustre ; many feathers have pale borders ; bill white ; feet pinkish ; head 

 and neck in living'bircl bright red ; iris grayish brown ; plumage commencing on 

 the neck with a circular ruff of projecting feathers; head and upper part of neck 

 naked, or with a few scattering hair-like feathers, and with the skin wrinkled ; nos- 

 trils large, oval, communicating with each other ; tail rather long, rounded. 



Young. Quite similar to adult, but plumage generally is lighter in color ; bill and 

 skin on head and neck are quite dark ; the naked portions of the head and neck, in 

 some specimens, is of a bluish color. 



