6o Utility of Birds in Je/Iroj'itig Infers, 



birds of this tribe, the frogs, and toads, and other reptiles^ 

 would increafe to fo great a degree as to prove a real nuifance. 

 North-America abounds with birds of this order ; and we 

 even have fome fpecies of ibis very nearly alHed to the ibis of 

 Egypt — fuch as the tantalus loculaior, or wood-pehcan, the 

 tantalus ruber, or fcailet ibis, the tantalus fujhus, or brovi^n 

 ibis, and the ta?italus albus, or white ibis. Mr. Bartrani 

 informs us, that the firft of thefe birds feeds ^ on ferpents, 

 young aUigators, frogs, and other reptiles. It is commonly 

 feen near the banks of great rivers, in vaft marfties or mea- 

 dows, efpecially fuch as are caufed by inundations, and alfo 

 in the vaft deferted rice plantations.' This bird, both with 

 regard to his general afpeiSl:, and his manners and habits, 

 may be confidered as the ibis of America. In the midft of 

 all their fuperllitions, I do not find, however, that the na- 

 tive Americans have ever paid any particular regard to this 

 bird. I cannot learn that any of thefe fpecies of tantalus have 

 ever been feen in Pennfylvania. 



^' VI. Someof the birds of the vultur-kind are extremely 

 ufeful to man, by deftroying immenfe quantities of carrion, 

 which ferve to vitiate the air, and, perhaps, in fome inftances, 

 to give rife to malignant epidemics. The vultur aura, or 

 turkey-buzzard of our country, is one of the moft ufeful of 

 thefe birds. In Virginia it is prote(9:ed by a law of that 

 State. The Abbe Clavigero fpeaks of the ufefulnefs of the 

 cezcaquauhtli, or king of the zopilots, the vultur papa of Lin- 

 naeus. ' The zopilot," fays this writer, ^ is a moft ufeful 

 bird to that country (Mexico) ; for they not only clear the 

 fields, but attend the crocodiles, and deftroy the eggs which 

 the females of thofe dreadful amphibious animals leave in 

 the fand, to be hatched by the heat of the fun. The de- 

 fl:ru(Stion of fuch a bird ought to be prohibited under fevere 

 penalties.* 



" I am fenfible that thefe few fa£ls, which are thrown 

 together without any regard to order, can be of little ufe, 

 except in as far as they may turn the attention of other per- 

 fons, who poflefs more leifure and information than myielf^ 

 to the fubjed, which is at once curious and important. It 

 appears to me to be a fubje6l peculiarly interefting to my 

 9 country men^ 



