BIRDS FROM COSTA RICA—WETMORE 33 
BUTORIDES VIRESCENS (Linnaeus) 
Ardea virescens LINNAEUS, Systema naturae, ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 144 (South 
Carolina). 
Green herons were seen near Liberia on October 21 and 31, but 
were not taken. 
Family ANATIDAE 
DENDROCYGNA AUTUMNALIS (Linnaeus) 
Anas autumnalis LINNAEUS, Systema naturae, ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 127 (America). 
On November 1 I flushed two of these tree-ducks from a wet meadow 
at the Rio Colorado northwest of Liberia. 
CAIRINA MOSCHATA (Linnaeus) 
Anas moschata LinNasus, Systema naturae, ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 124 (Brazil). 
Below Liberia on November 2 a dozen of these ducks rose from a 
small lagoon near the Finca America. About 2 o’clock in the morn- 
ing of November 18, during a full moon, I was aroused from sleep by 
the calls of a flock that circled over the village. 
Family CATHARTIDAE 
CORAGYPS ATRATUS (Meyer) 
Vultur atratus Muyer, Zool. Annal., vol. 1, 1794, p. 290 (St. Johns River, Fla.). 
The black vulture was a common species, seen usually about houses. 
I observed them often also soaring high in the air. At Liberia one 
came occasionally into the patio of the house where I lived, searching 
for scraps of meat. There was always a flock near the village slaugh- 
terhouse. One day as I watched a group gathered at carrion I heard 
several uttering hissing, growling calls, such as I have recorded occa- 
sionally elsewhere. There was no question that these were adult 
birds. This species differs decidedly in this matter of voice from the 
turkey vulture, which is vocal when immature but when adult is 
mute, except for the hissing of air expelled from its body when excited. 
At the Hacienda Santa Maria there was a flock of 30 or 40 around 
the corral, and individuals were seen regularly soaring over the pas- 
tures. They never entered the uninhabited, forested area. 
CATHARTES AURA (Linnaeus) 
Vultur Aura Linnasus, Systema naturae, ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 86 (Vera Cruz, 
Veracruz, México). 
The turkey vulture was a bird of daily record both at Liberia and 
on the Hacienda Santa Maria, and it ranged even through the semi- 
desert area above Liberia toward the mountains. On October 28 I 
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