The American Vultures, or Condors as it is better to call them, are now universally admitted to be quite distinct from the rest of the Accipitres and to constitute a family apart. They differ from the Falconidæ in having the hind toe inserted at a higher level than the others, and in the nostrils being pervious, owing to the absence of the bony septum, besides in other important characters[2]. [2] _Cf._ Standard Nat. Hist. vol. iv., Birds, p. 266 (Boston, 1885). The Cathartidæ are few in number, only some six or seven species being accurately known. Of these, three occur within the limits of the Argentine Republic. 311. CATHARTES AURA (Linn.). (TURKEY-VULTURE.) +Cathartes aura+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 123; _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 624 (Misiones); _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 433 (Mendoza, Catamarca, Tucuman). +Œnops aura+, _Sharpe, Cat. B._ i. p. 25. +Rhinogryphus aura+, _Baird, Brew., et Ridgw. N. A. B._ iii. p. 344. _Description._--Plumage black, the feathers above edged more or less with dull brown; head and neck bare, bright red in life: whole length 30·0 inches, wing 21·5, tail 11·5. _Female_ similar. _Hab._ Temperate and Tropical America, and south to Chili and the Falkland Islands. In Argentina the Turkey-Vulture appears only to occur in the northern and western provinces. Dr. Burmeister noticed it occasionally in Mendoza, Catamarca, and Tucuman. In Misiones, White found it abundant at Concepcion. I met with it in Patagonia, but it is by no means common there, and is only seen singly or in pairs. 312. CATHARTES ATRATUS (Bartram). (BLACK VULTURE.) +Cathartes fœtans+, _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.