Mr Audubon on the Habits of the Turkey Buzzard. 181 



make them fly down from the roof of the kitchen into the yard, 

 or follow the vehicles employed in clearing the streets from dis- 

 agreeable substances, except where (at Natchez for instance) the 

 number of these expecting parasites is so great, that all the re- 

 fuse of the town, within their reach, is insufficient ; then they 

 are seen following the scavengers^ carts, hopping, flying and 

 alighting all about it, amongst grunting hogs and snarling 

 dogs, until the contents, having reached a place of destination 

 outside the suburbs, are emptied and swallowed by them. 



Whilst taking a view of that city from her lower ancient fort, 

 I have for several days seen exhibitions of this kind. 



I do not think that the vultures thus attached to the cities are 

 so much inclined to multiply as those more constantly resident 

 in the forests, perceiving no diminution of number during the 

 breeding season, and having remarked that many individuals, 

 known to me by particular marks made on them, and a special east 

 of countenance^ were positively constantly residents of the town. 

 The Vultur aura is by no means so numerous as the attra- 

 tus. I have seldom seen more than twenty-five or thirty together ; 

 where, on the contrary, the latter are frequently associated to 

 the number of an hundred. 



The Vultur aura is a more retired bird in habits, and more 

 incKned to feed on dead game, snakes, lizards, frogs, and the 

 dead fish that frequently are found about the sand-flats of rivers 

 and borders of the sea-shore ; is more cleanly in its appearance, 

 and, as you will see by the difference in the drawings of both 

 species, a neater and better formed bird. Its flight is also vastly 

 superior in swiftness and elegance, needing but a few flaps of its 

 large wings to raise itself from the ground ; after which it will 

 sail for miles, by merely turning either on one side or the other, 

 and using his tail so slowly, to alter his course, that a person 

 looking at him, whilst elevated and sailing, would be inclined to 

 compare it to a machine fit to perform just a certain description 

 of evolutions. The noise made by the vultures through the air 

 as they glide obliquely towards the earth, is often as great as 

 that of our largest hawks when falling on their prey ; but they 

 never reach the ground in this manner, always checking when 

 about 100 yards high, and going several rounds^ to excLmine 

 well the spot they are about to aPght on. The Vultur aura 



