34 BULLETIN 16 7, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



preferred source of supply, without question, was far up in the corner of the 

 old one's mouth, where the j'oung birds thrust their bills whenever they were 

 able to do so. 



The adults fed either from a standing position, or while brooding the young. 

 The day was cold and the old birds brooded almost continually. The young 

 were fed repeatedly. Between the hours of 6 : 03 a. m. and 5 : 48 p. m., there 

 were 17 distinct feeding periods, some of which continued over an interval 

 of seven minutes or more. 



The young were very matter-of-fact about taking their food, and at no 

 time showed the eagerness which characterizes the young of most birds. 

 This perhaps may be accounted for by the fact that the young were kept 

 gorged with food continually, the distended stomachs being plainly visible from 

 the blind. On this occasion, the young apparently were fed liquid food only, 

 the liquid being described by Geist as having a milky appearance. On several 

 occasions, solid food, having the appearance of flesh or connective tissue, was 

 regurgitated, which the young attempted to seize, but on each occasion the 

 parent re-swallowed the material. 



Plumages. — [Author's note: The young black vulture is warmly 

 covered, except on the head, with long, thick, heavy down of a 

 rich buffy color. Mr. Thomas (1928) says: 



At 17 days the pin-feathers of the wing begin to show. At 39 days, the 

 young were almost full-grown, but the wing quills were only five inches in 

 length, and the tail feathers of the larger of the two birds, two inches. At 

 this age, there were no other feathers. On June 12, when the young were 

 about 52 days old, the scapulars, tertials and practically all of the wing 

 coverts were feathered, and quills were appearing on the breast. A week 

 later, the upper parts were practically covered, although there was still a 

 great deal of down showing, but while feathers were appearing on the breast 

 and underparts, they were concealed by the down. On June 26, at 66 days, 

 one of the young was able to fly up to the top of the box blind. By July 4, 

 they had left the cave, having a period of from 67 to 74 days in the nest. 



Immature birds during their first year are much like adults, but 

 the plumage is duller black and less glossy, and the naked skin of 

 the neck and head is partially concealed by a scanty growth of 

 short, black, hairy down. I have been unable to trace subsequent 

 molts.] 



Food. — The principal food of the black vulture gives it its common 

 name of carrion crow, for carrion is the chief article of its diet. 

 This food is to be found in the sewers and dump heaps and about 

 butchers' shops in southern cities, as well as in the fields and forests 

 where animals have come to untimely ends. The methods used in 

 searching for and disposing of this food will be described farther 

 on under "Behavior." As scavengers, especially in cities where these 

 functions are not attended to by man, the black vulture is considered 

 a valuable servant. Black vultures will also eat fresh meat, and 

 butchers must watch their stalls carefully when these birds are 

 about. 



