Bill of moderate length, rather slender, somewhat compressed; upper mandible with its dorsal outline nearly straight and declinate to the end of the large cere, then decurved, the edges a little festooned, rather thick, the tip descending and rather obtuse; lower mandible with the angle long and rather narrow, the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the back broad, the edges sharp, towards the end decurved. Nostrils oblong, large, pervious. Head oblong. Tongue deeply concave or induplicate, its edges serrate with reversed papillæ. Œsophagus dilated into an enormous crop; stomach moderately muscular; duodenum convoluted. Head and upper part of neck denuded, being only sparingly covered with very short down. Wings very long and extremely broad; third, fourth, and fifth primaries longest, first much shorter. Tail of moderate length, nearly even. Tarsus short, rather stout, roundish, reticulate. Hind toe very small, second a little shorter than fourth, third very long, all scutellate for more than half their length. Claws strong, arched, compressed, obtuse. 1. 1. Cathartes Californianus, Lath. Californian Turkey-Vulture.--Turkey-Buzzard. Plate CCCCXXVI. Adult. Nostrils small, elliptical, occupying only the posterior half of the nasal groove; feathers of the ruff and breast lanceolate and acuminate; primaries finely acuminate, fourth and fifth longest; tail rather short, even. Adult with the head bare and yellowish-red, the plumage brownish-black, the secondaries grey, tipped with white, their coverts large, tipped with the same. Young with the head downy and dusky, the plumage blackish-brown, the feathers edged with light brown, the secondary coverts tipped with brownish-white. _Male_, length 50. _Female_, length 55. California and Columbia Rivers. Resident in the south. Cathartes Californianus, Bonap. Syn. p. 22. Californian Vulture, Nuttall, Man. vi. p. 39. Californian Vulture, Cathartes Californianus, Aud. v. v. p. 240. 2. 2. Cathartes Aura, Linn. Red-headed Turkey-Vulture.--Turkey-Buzzard. Turkey-Vulture. Plate CLI. Fig. 1. Male. Fig. 2. Young fledged. Nostrils very large, elliptical, occupying the whole nasal cavity; feathers of the ruff and breast ovate, rounded; skin over the crop bare; tail rounded. Adult with the skin of the head and neck wrinkled and blood-red, the horny part of the bill yellowish-white; the plumage blackish-brown, deepest on the neck and under parts; feet flesh-coloured, tinged with yellow. Young when fledged with the skin of the head and neck dull flesh-coloured and more downy, the horny tip of the bill light blue, the plumage nearly as in the adult, but the wing-coverts and secondaries spotted with whitish. _Male._--Length 32, extent of wings 76. From Texas to Pennsylvania. Inland westward to the Columbia River. Resident. Turkey-Vulture or Turkey-Buzzard, Vultur Aura, Wils. v. ix. p. 96. Cathartes Aura, Bonap. Syn. p. 22.