S06 BLACK HEADED VULTURE. 



true, that they often assemble in large flocks but the present birds arc much more locally 

 distributed than the Turkey Buzzards. Thus, although they are particularly abundant in 

 certain localities in the Carolinas, Georgia, Northern, Middle, and Western Florida, I never 

 saw a specimen on the Keys, at Miami, nor in the Everglades. They were very rare in 

 the neighborhood of Dummett's grove near Cape Canaveral although they were common 

 at Salt Lake, only a few miles distant. 



In flight, the Black-heads move quite heavily, with alternate flapping and sailing, 

 but they soar at a great height, like the Eed-heails, during the warm hours of the day; 

 yet they do not appear to spend much time in air, being sluggish, often sitting with ex- 

 tended wings like the Turkey Buzzards. The Black-heads are more emphaticrJly carrion 

 feeders than the latter described species and will seldom eat fresh meat but prefer to wait 

 until decomposition has set in before beginning their feast. Thus I have frequently seen 

 the Turkey Buzzards gather around the freshly skinned carcass of an alligator, and eagerly 

 devour the flesh, while the Black-heads would Avait until it had lain for a day or two in 

 the broiling sun before they would attack it; then, when the odor from the decaying mass 

 became insufferable to human nostrils, they would eat to repletion. It is probable that the 

 soft stomach with which this species is provided, digests this kind of food more readily 

 than any other. They not only eat decomposed meat but feed upon animal excrement and 

 various kinds of offal. In consequence of feeding so much on this highly seasoned food, 

 these Vultures have a decidedly dissigreeable odor which is noticeable in skins and mount- 

 ed specimens, even after the lapse of years. It is possible, however, that this scent partly 

 originates with the birds as the young smell strongly of musk. 



The Black-heads are more gregarious than the Red-heads, insomuch so, that I do not 

 ever remember having seen a single specimen or even a pair unaccompanied by others, al- 

 though I have often observed solitary individuals of the latter named species. Both Vul- 

 tures become remarkably tame when not molested and I have frequently walked within a 

 few feet of them when they have been feeding. As might be judged by the structure of 

 the larynx, neither species are capable of uttering any thing in the way of sound more mu- 

 sical than a hiss or grunt. 



The Black-heads breed quite early in Florida, for the eggs in the ovaries of some spec- 

 imens killed about the middle of Juno, indicated that they would soon have been deposited. 

 These Vultures choose dark swamps as breeding grounds, often nesting in communities, 

 and there was, a few years ago, a large rookery of this description near Lake Worth in 

 Southern Florida. 



