160 Mr Audubon's Account of the Carrion Crow. 



hundreds of carrion crows may be supported by them for 

 weeks. I have often looked with wonder upon the great 

 number of vultures that had alighted on very large cypress- 

 trees, bordering on lakes of some extent covered with thou- 

 sands of floating dead fishes of different kinds, waiting till the 

 water retreated to allow the crows to feast upon them. 



The manner of flight of both these birds is precisely the 

 same, and on the discharge of a gun, they will both rise from 

 a lake with a violent quick heavy motion, and ascend until out 

 of sight in such astonishing numbers, as to render it impos- 

 sible to follow the course of any single individual intersecting 

 so often their circling lines. 



I may again remark, that the buzzards and carrion crows 

 cannot be suspected of smelling the fish alive under water, 

 and only to be killed by the Ibises, who, with the assistance of 

 their long legs, chase them through the lakes, the water being 

 generally from one to two feet deep. The vultures have to 

 wait with extreme patience till nearly all of it is dry, before 

 they can alight to seize their prey, which they swallow with 

 avidity. 



When hawks are sailing among the carrion crows, the for- 

 mer will sometimes, as if for amusement, charge upon them, 

 and produce such dismay, that every crow will launch to the 

 earth in angular lines, not unlike these of forked lightning, 

 while the exulting hawks announce their victory with reiter- 

 ated cries, as they rise again to a high station in the air to re- 

 commence their circles. 



Like all other cowards these birds only fight violently when 

 urged on by hunger or imminent danger, gradually augment- 

 ed to a high pitch ; but then they make amends by beating 

 their conquered adversary to death if in their power. When 

 busily engaged with a dead carcase, they often jump against 

 one another with bill and legs striking like a common fowl, and 

 if in the attack one overthrows the other, the victor will, without 

 scruple, and in the most unmerciful manner, pick his naked 

 head till it becomes clotted with blood. When any crow gains 

 such an advantage, the victor is assisted by several others, who 

 appear to engage in the conflict solely because there seems to 

 be no danger. 



These birds are subject to a particular disease that I never 



