CATHAETi-DiE. BIRDS. CoLUMBiDa!. clxxvii 
Turkey Cock, then open tlieir wings, and, as they ap- 
proach the female, lower their head, its wrinkled skin 
becoming loosened so as entirely to cover the bill, 
and emit a pnlEng sound, which is by no means musi- 
cal. They never lay more than two eggs, and they 
are deposited on the ground, or on a hollow log. 
“ The Black Vultures,” says Wilson, “are indolent, 
and may be observed in companies, loitering for hours 
together in one place. The}' do not associate with 
the 'I’urkey Buzzards, and are much darker in their 
plumage than the latter. Tlieir mode of flight, also, 
varies from that of the Turkey Buzzard.” 'J'he Black 
Vulture flaps its wings five or si.x times rapidly, then 
sails with them extended nearly horizontally. The 
Turkey Buzzard seldom flaps its wings, and, when 
sailing, they form an angle with the body upwards, 
fl’liis Vulture is twenty-six inches in length, and four 
feet four inches in extent of wing. 
THE TURKEY BUZZARD [Rhynogryphus aura).— 
'I'his bird is more familiar to the residents of the 
Southern States than elsewhere, though it inhabits 
the whole of temperate America. It is regarded as 
a useful scavenger, and is protected in large towns ; 
indeed, it is often to be seen roosting composedly upon 
the roofs of the more urban portions, ready to pick up 
any stray morsel that attracts notice in the busy street. 
The summer range of the Turkey Vulture extends into 
the British possessions of North America, but it is 
rarely seen in the Eastern States north of New York. 
On that portion of the Florida Reef about Key West 
it is a constant resident, though it is not seen on the 
other islands, which are not inhabited. For detailed 
description of this species, see vol. i, page 243. 
BURROUGHS’ VULTURE [Rhmogryphus iurrowvi- 
auus ). — This is the smallest of all the Vultures, resem- 
bling the 'I'urkey Vulture, but having no ruff about 
the neck, as in that species. Its habitat is along the 
coasts of Mexico, on the Pacific and Gulf sides, and 
in Lower California. The naturalist Bartram, of 
South Carolina, described a Vulture, concerning 
which Prof. Baird has the following, h\ Birds of North 
America, Pacific B. R. Report : “ The Sacred V ulture 
of Bartram [Sarcorhampus sacer) is a species described 
by that author, in the last century, as abundant in 
Florida, but has not been observed or identified any- 
where since his time. This has tended to throw a 
doubt on its existence ; but recent information renders 
it probable that this, or at least a species different 
from the Vultures just described, is found about Lake 
Okechobee, in Southern Florida, where it is called 
King Buzzard.” Bartram, in Travels in Florida, de- 
scribes it thus ; “Bill long and straight almost to the 
point, where it is hooked or bent suddenly down, and 
sharp; the head and neck bare of feathers nearly down 
to the stomach, where the feathers begin to cover the 
skin, and soon become long and of soft texture, form- 
ing a ruff or tippet, in which the bird, by contracting 
his neck, can hide that as well as his head. The bare 
skin on the neck appears loose and wrinkled, which 
is of a bright yellow color, intermixed with coral-red. 
The hinder part of the neck is nearly covered with 
short, stiff hair ; and the skin of this part of the neck 
is of a dense purple color, gradually becoming red as 
VOL. I. — X, 
it approaches the yellow of the sides and fore part. 
The crown of the head is red. 'J'here are lobed lap- 
pets, of a reddish-orange color, which lay on the base 
of the upper mandible. 'I'he plumage of the bird is 
generally white or cream color, except the quill 
feathers of the wings and two or three rows of the 
coverts, which are beautiful dark brown. The tail, 
which is rather large and white, is tipped with this 
dark brown or black ; the legs and feet of a clear 
white. The eye is encircled with a gold-colored iris ; 
the pupil black.” 
Family— OOLUMBIDJE. 
The Pigeons. 
BAND-TAILED PIGEON {Golumha /asciate).— This 
Pigeon was first met with by Long’s Expedition to 
the Rocky Mountains, and described liy Say in 1823. 
It is found on the western slope of the Rocky Moun- 
tains, extending to the Pacific. Mr. Nuttall says 
that they are always in fiocks. Dr. Newberry met 
with this Pigeon in many places during his survey, 
and speaks of it as an attractive bird, about the size 
and with many of the habits of the domestic Pigeon. 
Its colors are : Ash above, inclining to olivaceous on 
the back, and with a fine bluish cast on the rump, 
under surface of wings and sides ; larger wing coverts 
and secondaries, with primaries, distinctly edged 
with white; a narrow half collar of white across the 
upper portion of the nape. Its length is about fifteen 
inches; wing eight, and tail six. 
WHITE-HEADED PIGEON {Golumla leucocephala) . 
— ’I’he White-head is confined to the Florida Keys 
and the West Indies, being abundant in the hitter 
country. 'I’hey are exceedingly shy, affecting dark, 
shady retreats. Specimens have lieen kept in con- 
finement, and they seem to become somewhat domes- 
ticated, but are apt to return to their wild state. 
The length is thirteen inches and a half; wing seven ; 
tail nearly eight. Its general color is a very dark 
slate blue ; primaries and tail darker; upper half of 
the head, from the bill to the nape, pure white, not 
reaching the edge of the eyelids ; a triangular patch 
of dark maroon-purple on the occiput, and below it a 
semi-circular “ cape,” covering the nape, of metallic 
brassy-green, each feather distinctly bordered exter- 
nally with velvety-black, producing a squainate ap- 
pearance. The bill is a deep purple, the end light 
blue ; iris white ; legs, deep lake-red. 
RED-BILLED DOVE [Golumiafiavirostris) — This is 
a South-western species, inhabiting the Lower Rio 
Grande and Mexico. They are -there very common, 
but are secluded. 'I'heir flight is said to be exceed- 
ingly rapid, and they are regarded as very handsome. 
The head and neck all round, breast, and a large 
patch on the middle and lesser wing coverts, light 
chocolate-red, the latter deeper and more opaque-red ; 
the middle of the back, scapulars and tertials, olive ; 
the rest of the body, wings and tail, very dark slaty- 
blue ; bill and legs purple ; eyes purple. Length four- 
teen inches; wing eight; tail 5.70. 
WILD PIGEON (Ectopistes migratorius) — Fig. 122, 
vol i, p. 390. — This well-known bird, called also 
