74 



ORNITHOLOGY. 



Atlas, Ornithology, Plate I. Adult. 



This is a species nearly allied to the preceding, and appears to 

 represent it in the southern portion of the continent of America. 

 Respecting this bird there have existed considerable misapprehensions 

 on the part of writers on North American Ornithology, and consequent 

 confusion in their works. It has been usually regarded as identical 

 with the common black vulture or carrion crow of the Southern States 

 of this Union, but erroneously, as is now readily demonstrable from 

 specimens contained in the National Collection. Of these, a specimen 

 from Tierra del Fuego was brought by the Expedition. Specimens 

 obtained in Chili, and belonging to the very fine collection made by 

 Lieut. Gilliss, of the U. S. Navy, were uniformly labelled Jota," 

 as the name by which the bird was known in its native country, 

 thus coinciding with a statement made by Molina, in his descrip- 

 tion above cited. 



From Dr. Pickering's notes we make the following extract, relative 

 to this species : 



" The turkey buzzard was generally met with in the country, some 

 miles from the cities, though I did, occasionally, see it venturing into 

 the outskirts of Callao, in company with the black vulture [G. hrasili- 

 ensis). When flying, it is readily distinguished from the latter by the 

 absence of the light-colored spot on the wing, and, on a nearer approach, 

 by the red skin of the head and neck. On the ground it does not at- 

 tempt to run or leap about like the black vulture, owing apparently 

 to the shortness of its legs, and it may, perhaps, in some measure be 

 on this account that it does not venture into the streets, for it is by 

 no means shy, though scarcely permitting so close an approach as the 

 other. The inferior coverts of the wings are jet black ; other parts 

 of the under surface of tbe body dusky brown. Common throughout 

 Western Peru." 



4. Cathartes atratus [Bartram). — The Black Vulture. The 



Carrion Crow. 



Vidfur atratus, Bartram, Trav. p. 289 (1791). 



Vultur iiruhu, ViEiLL. Ois. d'Am. Sept. I, p. 53 (1807). 



