8 ACCIPITRES. VULTURID^. 



narily, however, in the evening, v^rhen the sea-breeze 

 is lulling, and the fading day-beam is changing 

 like the hues of the dying dolphin, they delight 

 to congregate, and career at an immense height. 

 At this time they soar so loftily, that they are 

 scarcely discernible as they change their position 

 in wheeling from shade into light, and from light 

 into shade. They seem as if they rose upward to 

 follow the fading day-light, and to revel in the 

 departing sunbeams, as, one after the other, the 

 varying hues are withdrawn, or irradiate only the 

 upper heavens. 



" There is a salacious predilection of the Aura 

 Vulture for the black hen of the poultry-yard, and 

 the black turkey, supported by so many well-au- 

 thenticated instances, that I cannot doubt the fact. 

 It is said that the Vulture on these occasions makes 

 its amorous attack with an eagerness assuming the 

 character of ungovernable fury. Fear overcomes 

 the hen, and the sudden assault terminates in an 

 embrace, from which she escapes only to linger 

 and die in a very short time. A sort of carcinoma 

 uteri is the consequence. * * * 



" This is altogether a curious and very unaccount- 

 able fact. Those who know how difficult it is to 

 bend instinctive nature, and induce the union of 

 animals different and yet similar, will perceive the 

 perplexity in which this occurrence is involved. 

 The only link of relationship in these events, is the 

 very distant similitude of colour ; for the unnatural 

 predilection is restricted to fowls of black plumage." 



I may add that on my reading the above notes 



