(BLACK VULTURE.)
+Cathartes foetans+, _Burm. La-Plata, Reise_, ii. p. 433 (Mendoza,
Tucuman). +Cathartes atratus+, _Darwin, Zool. Beagle_, iii. p. 7
(Rio Negro); _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 123; _Sclater, P. Z. S._
1872, p. 536 (Rio Negro); _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 113 (Pampas).
+Catharista atrata+, _Baird, Brew., et Ridgw. N. A. B._ iii. p.
351.
_Description._--Plumage black; head bare, black: whole length 25·0
inches, wing 17·5, tail 8·5. _Female_ similar.
_Hab._ Eastern U.S., and Central and Southern America to Chili and the
Rio Negro of Patagonia.
According to Dr. Burmeister the Black Vulture is found throughout the
Argentine Pampas, but is commoner in the east and north. It is known as
the "_Gallinazo_" at Mendoza, and "_Cuervo_" in Tucuman. Mr. Barrows
tells us that he did not see it during his residence at Concepcion, but
was told of its former abundance in times of drought, when dead sheep
were numerous. It was, however, met with by him in small numbers during
his excursion through the Sierras of the Pampas south of Buenos Ayres.
On the Rio Negro of Patagonia I found these Vultures abundant,
especially near the settlement of El Carmen, where, attracted by the
refuse of the cattle-slaughtering establishments, they congregated in
immense numbers, and were sometimes seen crowded together in thousands
on the trees, where they roosted. Darwin observed them at the same
place, and has described their soaring habits at considerable length.
The following account of the nesting-habits of this species is given by
Mr. John J. Dalgleish (Proc. Roy. Phys. Soc. Edinb. vi. p. 237):--"The
eggs seldom, if ever, exceed two in number, and are usually laid in a
hollow tree or on the ground. Their average weight is about a pound.
They are slightly larger than those of the Turkey-Buzzard, although the
latter is a bigger bird. The ground-colour is of a yellowish white, with
blotches of dark reddish brown, and smaller markings of a lilac shade.
These markings are generally more numerous at the larger end."