Chapter I: GENUS CATHARTES. Illigee Prodromus, p. 236. (1811.)

CATHARISTA. Viellot Analyse, p. 21. (1816.)

Head and upper part of the neck, naked, or partially covered with short downy feathers; the skin of the former generally wrinkled, or with wart-like excrescences. Bill, rather long, straight, curved at the end; nostrils, large, open, and unprotected, inserted near the middle of the bill. Wings, long, third and fourth primaries usually longest; tail, composed of twelve feathers, usually slightly rounded; legs and feet, moderate, rather strong, covered with scales, middle toe long, hind toe shortest; claws, rather strong, moderately curved, obtuse at their points. Colour of all known species, black.

Of this genus, which is peculiar to America, there are seven species; four of which are natives of the northern, and two of the southern portion of this continent, and one of the West Indies. All of them much resemble each other in their habits, and the two South American species are nearly related to similar species of the North, as will be pointed out in descriptions of the latter now to be given. In all its essential characters, this genus differs very little from _Sarcoramphus_, which includes the _Condor_ and the _King Vulture_ of South America.

A.

1. Cathartes aura. (Linn.) The Turkey Buzzard. The Turkey Vulture.
Vultur aura. Linn. Syst. Nat., I. p. 122. (1766.)
Cathartes septentrionalis. De Weid Reise, I. p. 162. (1839.)

Catesby Nat. Hist. Carolina, I. pl. 6. Vieill. Ois. d’Am. Sept. I. pl. 2. Wilson Am. Orn. IX. pl. 75, fig. 1. Aud. B. of Am. pl. 151.

Plumage, commencing on the neck with a circular ruff of rather long
and projecting feathers. Head and upper part of neck, naked, or with
scattering, down-like feathers, especially on the vertex, and with the
skin wrinkled. Nostrils, large, oval, communicating with each other;
tail, rather long, rounded.

Entire plumage, brownish black, darkest on the neck, back and tail
above; many feathers having a purple lustre on the upper and under
parts of the body, and with pale brownish borders on the upper parts.
Bill, yellowish white; wings and tail, paler beneath. Head and neck,
in living bird, bright red.

Total length of skin about 30 inches; wing, 23; tail, 12 inches.

Hab. The entire territory of the United States—rare in New England.
Wisconsin, (Dr. Hoy,) Oregon, (U. S. Ex. Exp. Vincennes.) New Mexico,
(Dr. Henry.) California, (Dr. Gambel.) Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.

Obs. This species is abundant in the Southern, and of quite frequent occurrence in the Middle States of the Union; but it rarely visits the northeastern, or on the Atlantic, is seldom met with north of New Jersey. In the southern part of the State of Delaware, and in Maryland, it is very abundant, migrating farther south in the winter. It subsists entirely on dead animals, which it devours in every stage of decomposition or putridity.

A South American species, long considered as identical with the present bird, is now well ascertained to be distinct, and is the _Vultur jota_. Molina. This name has been erroneously applied to the Carrion Crow or Black Vulture of the United States. The South American species is the smaller, is more slender in all its members, and all the specimens that we have seen have been of a more uniform clear black colour.

2. Cathartes atratus. (Bartram.) The Carrion Crow. The Black Vulture.
Vultur atratus. Bartram Travels, p. 289. (1791.)
Vultur urubu. Vieill. Ois. d’Am. Sept., p. 53. pl. 2. (1807.)

Wilson Am. Orn. IX. pl. 75, fig. 2. Aud. B. of Am. pl. 106.

Plumage commencing higher on the back of the neck than on its sides or
in front, and there consisting of short feathers. Head and naked
portion of the neck, warted or corrugated, and thinly covered with
short hair-like feathers, bill rather long, nostrils large, and
communicating with each other; tail, even; legs, rather long.

Entire plumage, deep uniform black, with a bluish gloss; under surface
of primaries nearly white.

Total length (of skin) about 23 inches, wing 16½; tail 8½ inches.

Hab. Southern States, Texas (Audubon), California, Oregon (U. S. Ex.
Exp. Vincennes). Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.

Obs. Abundant in the Southern States, and gregarious, congregating in large numbers in the cities, where they are of service in the destruction of all descriptions of rejected or waste animal matter.

The South American bird usually regarded as identical with this bird, is the _Vultur brasiliensis_. Ray. It is considerably smaller, and otherwise quite distinct.

3. Cathartes californianus. (Shaw) The Californian Vulture.
Vultur californianus. Shaw, Nat. Misc. IX. p. 1, pl. 301. (1797.)
Vultur columbianus. Ord. Guthries’ Geog. II. p. 315. (1815.)
Cathartes vulturinus. Temm. Pl. col. I. pl. 31. (1820.)

Aud. B. of Am. pl. 411. Gray Gen. of B. pl. 2. Licht. Trans. Berlin Acad. 1838, pl. 1.

Size, large. Plumage commencing on the neck near the body, with a ruff
of long, lanceolate feathers, which are continued on the breast. Head
and neck bare, or with a few short feathers on the vertex, and at the
base of the upper mandible; bill rather long, nostrils small,
communicating with each other; wings long, primaries pointed; tail
long, slightly rounded; tarsi and feet very strong.

Entire plumage black, many feathers narrowly tipped with brown,
secondary quills with a grayish tinge, greater coverts tipped with
white, which forms a transverse bar on the wing. Bill, yellowish
white. Iris, carmine. Head and neck, in living bird, orange yellow.
(Gambel.)

Total length (of skin) about 45 inches, wing 31, tail 15 inches.

Hab. California, Oregon. Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philada.

Obs. This large Vulture is inferior only in this family to the Condor of South America. It is restricted to the countries west of the Rocky mountains, where in the vicinity of rivers it is occasionally abundant, living principally on dead fishes. It appears to be, however, more cautious and timid in its habits than the other birds of this group, and constructs its nest in the remote recesses of the mountains.

B.
SPECIES PROBABLY OCCURRING IN THE UNITED STATES.

1. Cathartes burrovianus. Cassin, Proc. Acad. Philada. II. p. 212,
(1845.) Burrough’s Vulture.

Resembling _C. aura_, but much smaller. Plumage on the neck ascending
behind, as in _C. atratus_; bill, rather short; tail, rounded; tarsi,
rather long. Entire plumage, deep uniform black, without brown
edgings.

Total length of prepared specimen, from tip of bill to end of tail,
about 22 inches, wing 18, tail 8½ inches.

Hab. Mexico, Vera Cruz (Dr. Burrough), Mazatlan (Dr. Gambel). Spec. in
Mus. Acad., Philada.

Obs. This is the smallest of all known Vultures, and though strictly of the same genus as _C. aura_, may readily be recognized by its small size. It is very probably to be found in California, and the late Dr. Gambel thought that he had seen it in that country, and at Mazatlan. (Jour. Acad. Philada. I. p. 26, quarto.)