CONDOR, 
Frigate-Bird) do we perceive any immediate relations. The 
f . 
passage to these takes place through the intervention of the three 
other orders, in the first of which the genera Gypaetus and 
Gypogeranus approach so near them as even to have strong 
claims to be included in the same family, being almost exactly 
intermediate between Falconidse and Vulturidae. 
Although the Vulturidse are far from exhibiting the same 
diversity of conformation, habits, and appetites, as the numerous 
tribe of the Falcons, and form indeed as a whole a much more 
compact mass, and much less numerous in species, yet even those 
naturalists, with Illiger at their head, who have left untouched 
the great genus Falco, have joined unanimously with the reformers 
in dividing that of Vultur into two great equivalent genera. This 
course, though we imitate it ourselves, we must confess to be more 
expedient than consistent, and it is probable that for the very 
reason that differential traits are less numerous and complicated 
in the different species, that the divisions have been more easily 
made and admitted. Let us analyze them. Illiger was the first 
to separate the species into his two genera Cathartes and Vultur : 
we say the first, excluding Storr and Lacepede, who long since 
with so much reason withdrew Gypaetus from the genus, and 
not adverting to the artificial section made by Dumeril in the 
year 1806, under the name of Sarcoramphus, for the stout¬ 
billed carunculated species indiscriminately. The characters 
assigned by Illiger were precise and natural, and the species he 
cited as examples correctly typical. But Temminck in adopting 
Illiger’s two genera, misapplied the characters, and rendered them 
unnatural by declaring the Vultur Percnopterus a Cathartes , whilst 
it is in fact a slender-billed Vultur , as the Condor is a stout-billed 
Cathartes. Deceived by Temminck, we at first adopted this 
erroneous view, which we have finally rectified in our Observations 
on the second edition of the Regne Jlnimal of Cuvier. In returning 
V 
t . 
■ 'f- V-V-- 
1 1 ' - : 
