48 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



The femur is so bent that a longitudinal line drawn along its 

 anterior surface is convex outward, the greatest curvature exist- 

 ing at the junction of middle and lower thirds of shaft. A similar 

 line drawn down its inner aspect is found to be concave. 



The upper surface of the semiglobular head is in the same hori- 

 zontal plane with the extensive articular facet at the summit of the 

 bone for the antitrochanter of the pelvis, while above this rises the 

 broad and prominent ridge of the great trochanter; below, and to 

 the outer side of which, we find the pneumatic foramen (Cath- 

 a r t e s a . s e p t e n t r i o n a 1 i s ) or foramina (Gymnogyps) , for 

 generally the species show more than one. 



The femoral head is completely sessile with the shaft, and pre- 

 sents for examination above an extensive though single excavation 

 for the ligamcntum teres. Below, the shaft rapidly becomes sub- 

 cylindrical, to dilate transversely at its distal or condylar end in 

 the usual way. Near the middle of the shaft behind we observe 

 the medullary orifice, and the ordinary muscular lines are tolerably 

 well produced. 



The rotular channel on the anterior aspect is moderately deep, 

 rather wide, and of nearly the same width throughout; it passes 

 beneath into a shallow intercondyloid notch. In the popliteal de- 

 pression, above the condyles behind, a deep pit exists ; a few fora- 

 mina are found at the bottom of it in C a t h a r i s t a urubu 

 that may be pneumatic. The fibular cleft at the back of the external 

 condyle is very decided, the inner half formed by it being produced 

 well backward in all of the Cathartidae as a prominent process 

 to be applied to the internal aspect of the fibula, when the limb is 

 articulated. Slight depressions are found, one on either side, in 

 the broad lateral surfaces of the condyles, intended for ligamentous 

 insertion. The outer condylar tuberosity is somewhat the lower 

 of the two. 



The patella in these vultures is of fair size only, being more or 

 less flat superiorly, convex in front, and divided into two unequal 

 faces behind, the inner being the larger. It is situated well above 

 the cnemial crest of the tibiotarsus, in the tendon of the quadriceps 

 femoris. 



A very close approximation exists between the tibiotarsus and 

 the fibula along the produced and fibular ridge on the outer aspect 

 of the shaft of the former. Above this point the fibula is very much 

 enlarged and drawn backward into a laterally compressed tuberous 

 head, with a smooth, nearly horizontal facet above, that in none of 



