Note 275 — VI. BIRD CALENDAR FOR THE REGION OF THE MANDAN VILLAGES, IN THE WINTER OF 1833-34[274]

I describe this vulture under the term septentrionalis, because I now regard it as a distinct species. I am indebted to Privy Councillor Lichtenstein of Berlin for the opportunity of examining several specimens of Urubus from different parts of South America and from Mexico; and I am now convinced that they, together with the Brazilian, form a species which is distinct from the North American. The male of the southern red-headed Urubu (C. aura) is smaller, more uniformly dark, with stronger metallic gloss, and with less brightly-rounded wing feathers than the northern. In the Brazilian bird the iris is bright red, and in the mature bird the head is sky blue and orange. In the North American bird the head is of a dirty violet red, occasionally violet, the base of the bill lac red the iris grayish brown with a lighter band around the pupil, and a narrow bright red band on the outer edge. The immature birds of both species have a dirty violet head, etc. I hope to deal more thoroughly with this subject in another place. I will remark in passing that the statement of Schomburgk (see Annals of Natural History) in a natural history of the king vulture (Vultur papa l.), "that the other vultures will not eat until the king vulture has satisfied himself," is most certainly a fable.—Maximilian.

Comment by Ed. For Lichtenstein, see post, note 276. The Schomburgk referred to is probably Sir Robert Hermann Schomburgk, the famous explorer, and the author of works on Guiana and the Barbadoes. A publication was started at Edinburgh in 1837 under the title, Magazine of Zoology and Botany; in 1839 the name was changed to Annals of Natural History, and the place of publication to London; later, the title became Annals and Magazine of Natural History.