CATHARTID^ — THE AMERICAN VULTURES. 347 



met with them at Fort Dalles, in Oregon, and also on Puget Sound. He 

 also met with them not far from Pembina. Dr. Newberry also observed them 

 in California and Oregon, quite common in the vicinity of the towns and 

 about the great rivers. In the Klamath Basin it was more rare, and on the 

 "Des Chutes he scarcely saw any ; but on the Columbia, especially below the 

 Cascades, they were very plentiful. 



Dr. Heermann found this bird ranging over the whole extent of California, 

 meetino- them in great numbers in the vicinity of Port Yuma, at the junction 

 of the Colorado and Gila Ptivers. 



In the West India Islands these birds occur in Cuba, Jamaica, and 

 Trinidad ; but according to Mr. E. C. Taylor, neither this nor any other spe- 

 cies of Vulture occurs in any of the islands lietween Trinidad and St. Thomas, 

 not even in Tobago or Porto Ptico. At Trinidad they are very abundant. 



Mr. G. C. Taylor found this Vulture common in Honduras, where, how- 

 ever, it does not go much into the towns and villages, but is usually seen 

 on the outskirts and in the forests. In Guatemala, Mr. Salvin found it 

 not nearly so abundant as C. atratus, and there also, as in Honduras, it 

 frequented the more uncultivated and forest districts, leaving to the latter 

 all the duties of the scavenger. Captain C. C. Abbott found this Vulture 

 very common in the Falkland Islands, remaining the whole year round, and 

 breeding. 



The flight of the Turkey-Buzzard is graceful, dignified, and easy. It sails 

 with a steady, even motion, with wings just above the horizontal position, 

 with their tips slightly raised. They rise from the ground with a single 

 bound, give a few flaps to their wings, and then proceed with their peculiar, 

 soaring flight. They rise very high in the air, moving round in large circles. 

 They are of gregarious habits, and usually associate in companies of from ten 

 to a much larger number. They feed upon all kinds of animal food, and are 

 accused by Audubon of sucking eggs and devouring the young of Herons and 

 other birds. Yet in Trinidad they were observed by Mr. E. C. Taylor associat- 

 ing with the poultry apparently upon the most amicable terms, and, although 

 surrounded with chickens of all sizes, they were never known to molest 

 them. Mr. Audubon also states that they devour birds of their own species 

 when dead. They are said to walk well on the ground and on the roofs of 

 houses, and associate and even roost in company with the Black Vulture. 

 Dr. Heermann, who observed them on the desert between the Colorado and 

 Carissa Creek, where they find an ample supply of food from numerous 

 animals that there perish from want of grass and water, states that they 

 seemed to be on terms of amity both with the Eavens and the California 

 Vultures, but retire on the approach of the prairie wolf. He adds that 

 when a company of these Vultures have once commenced upon a carcass, a 

 scene of plunder, noise, confusion, and dispute ensues, baffling all description. 

 Each one strives, as best he may, to bolt the morsel he has seized, or to rob 

 his neighbor whose booty is too voluminous to be despatched at once. As 



