550 THE TURKEY VULTURE. 



on Ijreast : \ving-(|uills and rcciriccs light diiNky Ix-li.iw. with whitiNh shafts: ])ri- 

 niaries deeply cmarginate, the tips considerahly separated in flight, very tlexihle ; 

 iris brownish gray: hill dull white: cere bright red. Youiuj: Similar, ])ut dnsky 

 on liead and neck, with ddwny grayish lirown feathers; bill blackish. Xcstlings: 

 Covered with heavy white down, bnt head naked. — light blnish black. Length 

 27.00-32.00 ( 685. 8-812. S) : extent abont six feet: wing 22.00 (558.8); tail 11.50 

 (292.1 ) : bill including cere 2.20 (55.9). 



Recognition Marks. — Eagle size or less ; naked red head ; black plumage 

 nearly uniform; soaring flight. 



Nesting. — Xcst: in hollow trees, stunijjs or fallen logs, or in crannies of 

 clifi's; unlined. lu/f/s: 2, rarely 3, elli])tical-ovatc. dull white, greenish or buflfy 

 white, .spotted and blotched irregular]\- with rich dark brown. .\v. size, 2.80 x 1.95 

 (71. 1 X4<;.5). Scasiiii: c. May lO-junc 1 ; one brood. 



General Range. — Temperate Xnrdi America from New Jersev. ( )hio \"a!ley, 

 Saskatchewan region and British Columbia southward to Patagonia and the Falk- 

 land Islands. Casual in Xcw England. 



Range in Washington. — Common summer resident and migrant east of the 

 Cascades ; much less common but regular at lower altitudes west of the Alountains. 



Migrations. — Spvhni: c. Apr. 15; Tacoma, .\]ir. 11. 1906. Fall: c. Oct. 30. 



Authorities. — Catliaiics aura (Linn.) Cassin, Rej>. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 

 1858, 4. T. C.\:S. Rh. D'. Ra. D-'. vSs'. Ss-'. ];. E. 



Specimens. — Pro\-. C. E. 



Till'', crowning touch of a summer d:i\- is afforded li_\- the sight of a small 

 conipauN' of Turke\' \'ultiu"es lazil\- drifting across the middle distance soar- 

 ing, shifting, wheeling". \\ea\"ing endless circles, in restful monotony of niid- 

 sununer content. It is altogetlier the witcher\- of wings which ])rovokes our 

 admiration; hut when we ])ause to tliinls >i]ion it. we l)less the wisdom ot the 

 Creator in enabling these dusky scavengers to maintain a graceful aloofness. 

 As a decorati\-e feature in a landscajie the \'ultnre possesses unciualified \'alue. 

 As a subject (.)f nearer inquirv- lie bec(Mnes repulsi\-e in the extreme. 



Put before we treat of the less pleasant things, let us note more carefully 

 that majestic llight. If caught ni^on tlie ground the \'ulture pitches forward, 

 gives an awkward Ibi]) or two to clear his footing, rises sharply, almost imme- 

 diately catching the air in his ample wings, and Ijegins to sail. Henceforth, 

 with motiotiless ])inions he tilts and tui'us and swee]is about in stately curves, 

 or glides swifth' off at will in an\- direction. How docs he do it I It is easy 

 to see how a bird, mox'ing with the wind and falling sharplw may wheel and 

 breast the wind moi'e sharplv still, using his acquired momentum to gain a 

 greater height than the one originalh' occu])ied. In this tlie momentum is 

 like the pull of the string wdiich enables iIk- kite to shoot rajiidly upw.ird thru 

 the air. Rut what sliall w-e say of a bird, winch, without momentum, but still 

 on motionless wing, rises steadih- ai/iiiiisl tlie wind.'' Not onl\' I'ises, but 

 makes rapid progress forward, as well, in :i directii^m contrary to the wmd. 



