80 
Kidgway on the American Vultures. 
< CEnops, Sharpe, Cat. Acc. Brit. Mus., I, June, 1874, 28. 
«c “ Gypagus,” Vieill., Enc. Meth., Ill, 1823, 11 73 (not of Analyse, 
1816). 
[The type of this genus is certainly quite as distinct generically from 
Cathartes aura as Gyparchus papa is from Sarcorhamphus gryphus, and 
much more so than C. aura is from Catharista atrata. Indeed, every part 
of its external, and many points of its internal structure, stamp it as one 
of the best marked generic types in the family. I am constrained to 
believe that authors who do not admit its distinctness as a genus have 
formed their opinion hastily, and without recourse to requisite material, 
although the skin alone is quite sufficient to show numerous radical differ- 
ences from C. aura. In the enumeration of the diagnostic characters of 
this genus in “ History of North American Birds” (Vol. Ill, pp. 337, 
338), and illustrated, in part, on pages 355 and 356 of that work, a very 
important one was overlooked, viz. the possession of fourteen rectrices, in 
which “ Vultur ” californianus apparently differs from all other Sarcorliam- 
phidce. Since Mr. Sharpe bases a new genus ( Pseudogyps ) on such a 
character alone , he may now be willing to admit the validity of my genus 
Pseudogryph us. ] 
(4.) Cathartes, Illiger. 
«c Vultur, Linn. 
< Cathartes , Illig., Prodr., 1811, 236 (no type; includes Vultur papa , 
L., and V. aura , L., in the order here given ; diagnosis that' of the family ). 
= Cathartes , Bonap., Rev. et Mag. Zool., 1854, 530 (F aura , L., and 
V. iota, Mol., = V. aura ?). — Sundev., Ofv. Kongl. Vet.-Ak. Forh., 
1(8 74, 38 (restricted to V. aura). 
«c “ Catharista ,” Vieill., Analyse, 1816, 21. — Gray, Hand-1., I, 
1869, 3. 
— Rhinogryphus, Ridgw., in B. B. & R., Hist. N. Am. B., Ill, Jan., 
1874, 343 (type, Vultur aura, L.). 
< CEnops, Sharpe, Cat. Acc. Brit. Mus., I, June, 1874, 25 .(type, 
Vultur aura, L. ; includes Pseudogryphus ! ). 
(5.) Catharista, Vieillot. 
< “ Vultur ,” Vieill., Ois. Am. Sept., I, 1807, 53 (nec Linn.). 
< Catharista, Vieill., Analyse, 1816, 21 (no type ; includes “ Vautour 
urubu ” = Vultur urubu, Vieill., and V. aura, “ Sonnini, edit, de 
BufFon”). 
== Coragyps, “ Geoffr.,” Bonap., Rev. et Mag. Zool., 1854, 530 
(includes Vultur urubu, Vieill., and C. brasiliensis, Bp.*). 
= Catharista, Ridgw., in B. B. & R., Hist. N. Am. B., Ill, Jan., 1874, 
350 (restricted to C. atrata, “ Bartr.”). 
* Nec Vultur brasiliensis, Briss .,= Cathartes burr ovianus, Cass.! 
