R A P T R E S. 



75 



Vieill. Ois. d'Am. Sept. I, Plate 11; Wilson, Am. Orn. IX, Plate 

 LXXV, fig. 2 ; Aud. B. of Am. Plate CVI ; Oct ed. I, Plate III. 



The collection of the Expedition contains no specimen of this bird 

 from the western countries of North America, but it is mentioned by 

 Mr. Peale as having been noticed by him in both Oregon and Cali- 

 fornia, as follows : 



" We did not observe this bird to be common in Oregon, but saw it 

 more frequently in California. It seems generally to acompany the 

 preceding species [Cathartes aura), but is more familiar in its habits. 

 It is the more plentiful of the two species in the warmer parts of both 

 North and South America, and decreases in numbers as we approach 

 the colder latitudes, where the C. aura is the more abundant." 



The South American bird is regarded by ornithologists as a distinct 

 though similar species, and is alluded to in the next article. 



Unless there is some mistake in Mr. Peale's observation, this species 

 inhabits a much higher latitude on the western than on the eastern 

 side of the continent. There is, however, no other record of this bird 

 having been observed in Oregon, so far as our knowledge extends. 

 Dr. Pickering expressly mentions that he did not see it either in 

 Oregon or in California. 



This species is found also in the northern and western countries of 

 South America, and there is in the National Museum a well-charac- 

 terized specimen, which was brought from Chili by the United States 

 Naval Astronomical Expedition, commanded by Lieut. Gilliss. 



5. Catiiartes brasiliensis {Bona.parie) . — The South American 



Black Vulture. 



Cathartes hrasiliensis, EoNAP. Cons. Av. p. 9 (1848). 



Buff. PL Enl. 187. 



Of this bird, which appears to be very abundant in the southwestern 

 countries of the American continent, there are specimens in the collec- 

 tion of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. It is smaller 

 than the G. atratus of the United States, and has the head much less 

 corrugated, but is, however, very similar to that species, and has usu- 

 ally been regarded as the same. 



I 



