THE IBIS. 
No. III. JULY 1859. 
XXIII.— On the Ornithology of Central America. Part III. 
By Philip Lutley Sclater and Osbert Salyin. 
[Concluded from p. 138.] 
Ordo II. ACCIPITRES. 
Earn. I. VULTUBIDtE. 
251. Cathartes aura (Linn.). (N. A.) 
If Mr. Cassinis authority for the occurrence of C. hurrovianus 
at Vera Cruz is good, that bird also doubtless occurs in Guate¬ 
mala ; but, as far as we know, it has not yet been observed. All 
the birds especially noticed by Salvin, presented the characters 
of the true C. aura of the U.S. 
In this country this Vulture is not nearly so abundant as C. 
atratus. Leaving to that species all the duties of the scavenger, 
it frequents the more uncultivated and forest districts. A few 
may always be seen about the Lake of Duenas. 
252. Cathartes atratus (Bartram). (N. A.) 
Except perhaps Quiscalus macrurus , this is the most familiar 
bird in Guatemala. Every town and village has its Zopilotes; 
and badly would the inhabitants exist were it not for these 
diligent scavengers. At night they usually retire to the forest, 
and in the early morning troop back to their posts in the streets 
and lanes, and about the tops of the houses and churches. 
They build their nests in the forest, though, in Antigua Gua¬ 
temala, it is said that they use the ruins of the old churches for 
that purpose. 
VOL. i. 
Q 
