“THE TURKEY VULTURE. 2 
That these and other birds do accomplish this feat is a fact patent to all 
careful observers. How they do it—well, that is another matter. ‘‘The 
way of an Eagle (Vulture) in the air” has puzzled more than wise Agur. 
The American Vulture is not a high-flyer like those of the Orient. In 
his case, however, it is still clearly evident that entire dependence is placed 
upon the eyesight in the detection of food. An immense extent of territory 
is covered by a Buzzard on his daily rounds. No visible corruption escapes 
his notice, but the odor of half-covered carrion may become almost palpable 
before it attracts his attention. A possible reason for this inability to locate 
carrion by the sense of smell alone is disclosed in the words of Coues: ‘‘Cer- 
tain it is that independent of the passing contents of the alimentary canal, 
permanent fcetid odors exhale from the bones and muscles; and the same 
stench is entangled in the web of the feathers. It is retained for a long while 
even after the bird is killed and stuffed. So strong is it that one author, an 
excellent naturalist, too, fancied it must be rather unpleasant to the birds 
themselves.” Since the birds, therefore, reek with filth themselves, they are 
not in a position to exercise discrimination with reference to external scents. 
It does not seem to be true, as has sometimes been asserted, that the birds 
really prefer decayed flesh. It is rather a matter of necessity for them, in- 
asmuch as they are unable, except in rare instances, to rend a carcass sufh- 
ciently before an advanced stage of decomposition has set in. 
Turkey Vultures are much more common east of the Mountains than 
upon Puget Sound. This is doubtless due to the more open character of the 
country, as well as to the development of the cattle and sheep business. Almost 
exclusive attention is paid to the carcasses of the larger animals, since few of 
the smaller animals die of themselves except when poisoned. On the prairies 
of Pierce and Thurston Counties Mr. Bowles has seen them supplement their 
scanty fare by a diet of grasshoppers. In late summer and in autumn they 
appear to increase in numbers in Whatcom County and in the Fraser River 
delta, where they gorge themselves, in common with the gulls and crows, 
upon decayed salmon and cannery waste. 
Vultures nest in trees, in crannies of cliffs, or upon the ground, according 
to the nature of the country in which they find themselves. Upon the East- 
side they appear to find abundant shelter among the frequent outcroppings of 
Columbia lava. In Yakima County, early in May, I took a set of eggs on the 
point of hatching, from a cave in a basaltic escarpment which overlooks the 
Natchez River. ‘The fissure runs into the cliff about twelve feet, but the eggs 
were only seven feet in. The odor of the place was overpowering, and I did 
not stop to investigate the origin of a certain metallic clink which later reflec- 
tion suggested might have come from a piece of hoop-iron in the accumulated 
waste on the floor of the cave. Returning several years later to satisfy myself 
upon this point, I clambered up to the entrance of the cave and clung to the 
