172 HOMING WITH THE BIRDS 



ing. The dissected eye of a bird shows lachrymal 

 glands, so it may weep real tears at the loss of a 

 mate or nestling. I never have been close enough 

 to make sure of that. 



Once from a blind, I saw a male bird come as 

 close to laughter as a bird ever approaches outside 

 the bubbly joy of song. My camera was focused 

 on the nest of a pair of che winks. I was hidden 

 sixty feet away. The male came within a yard 

 of me, food hunting, scratching like an industrious 

 hen. A small rootlet was in his way and he pulled 

 it with all his might. It broke suddenly and he 

 fell over backward. He picked himself up, a most 

 astonished expression on his face; then he laughed. 

 So did I. 



From a natural history standpoint, one picture 

 of a young black vulture, made just before it 

 learned to straighten its legs at the first joint and 

 stand on its feet, contains more natural history 

 than any other bird study I have so far succeeded 

 in securing. This one picture shows how the 

 young of these birds use the whole length of the 

 first joint from the foot to the knee in walking. 

 The feet are set flat upon the ground so that the 

 partial webbing, the lining of the skin, and the 

 size and sharpness of the toenails are clearly defined 

 as is the immature wing. The bird is posed three 

 quarters front toward the camera. The carrion 

 sack plainly shows on the front of the breasl in a 

 flaccid pouch, while the bald round head is turned 



