ISS6.J IIoxiE on the Breeding Habits of the Black Vulture. 2A.^ 



upon a well grown pair of chicks, and was so well wedged in 

 among the yucca stems that he could neither make his escape nor 

 defend himself. When he did get out he was streaming with 

 filth, excrement, and blood, and his language was simply awful. 



Qiiite rarely I have found eggs on other parts of the island, and 

 once or twice in completely exposed situations, with not even an 

 attempt to get under the protection of an overhanging bush. Pos- 

 sibly these belonged to young birds which had still much to learn 

 in regard to the ways of house-keeping. I have also occasionally 

 found isolated nests upon the outer Hunting Islands. In these 

 latter cases the eggs have always been easy to find for, being 

 among clean, sylvan surroundings the collector need only follow 

 his nose — if it is a good one — and success is certain. 



Both sexes assist in the work of incubation. A week or ten 

 days often elapses between the deposition of the two eggs, but I 

 have never observed over a day's difference in the time of hatch- 

 ing. Indeed, I have never found a bird sitting on a single egg. 

 The period of incubation is very nearly thirty days, but I have 

 not decided this quite to my satisfaction as yet. I have never 

 taken more than two eggs in a set, but my friend, Mr. Alfred 

 Cuthbert, of this place, look a set of three in 1SS4. I am not cer- 

 tain that two broods are not sometimes raised. I have myself 

 taken eggs only from April 2 to May 26, according to the record 

 now before me, but I have heard of young observed as late as 

 August. No description need be given here of such well known 

 eggs. One of each type is found in every pair, and my theory is 

 that all birds which lay but two eggs at a time produce one male 

 and female offspring. I once raised a pair of young Black Vul- 

 tures which proved to be male and female. In this case the male 

 was hatched from the long, evenly spotted egg. I cut one of his 

 toes before his companion had emerged, so ''those babies were 

 not mixed up." In conclusion let me say that I have never yet 

 found any Vultures' eggs under fallen logs or in hollow stumps. 

 Of course I do not intend to cast any imputation upon the pub- 

 lished statements in regard to their nidification in such places, 

 but simply to record the fact that in this locality they fail to take 

 advantage of any such surroundings. 



Progmore., P. O., 



St. Helena Id., S. C. 



