Older RAPTORES. 



Family CATHARTID^. 



CATHARTES AURA (L.). (325.) 

 TURKEY VULTURE. 



Amongst our earliest migrants, reaching the lower sections 

 of the State immediately after the lifting of the ice-embargo, 

 the Vultures are never seen in sufficient numbers to record 

 them more than fairly common in some partially restricted 

 portions of the country. After a few years of observation, I 

 learned to look for their appearance about the 25th of March, 

 but have frequently been compelled to wait until the first day 

 of April. The first seen are more commonly a single pair, 

 "attention having been drawn to them by their flying in large 

 circles while gradually making progress northwardly along 

 the general course of some considerable stream. A few days 

 later, a larger number is occasionally noticed, perhaps a flock of 

 half a dozen; rarely more, working their way to higher lati- 

 tudes. Formerly an average share of them remained along 

 the St. Croix, St. Peter, and Mississippi rivers to breed, but 

 with the general progress of improvements, and the employ- 

 ment of steam whistles on the steam boats and the mills, and 

 on the railways, they have, in common with many other form- 

 erly rather common species of the larger birds, become locally 

 much rarer. The earlier nests are built, if so meagre an 

 attempt may be called building, about the middle of April, 

 (in 1864, April 10th), but later ones are occasionally found. 

 Mr. Lewis reports them as late as the 5th of May on Lake 

 Traverse, and the 15th of the last month in Becker county, 

 which is considerably further north. As intimated, the nests 

 are the merest apologies when attempted at all, but in the 

 few instances of my own observation, they were only the 

 naked ledge overhanging the water, on which were a few 



