2^8 Hopkins on Sense of Smell in the Turkey Buzzard. [July 



The Buteo never fed in my presence with the same freedom 

 that the Accipiter did, nor were its actions so free. The hitter's 

 bokhicss and daring manifested themselves in every action. 



Syrnium nebulosum. — Lastly I had a juvenile Barred Owl 

 in my possession. In it, as in the others, abundance of food pro- 

 iluced the same effects — larger size and more robust organization. 

 The food most preferred was birds and small rodents ; frogs and 

 fish were eaten when quite fresh, though the latter were taken 

 only when hungry. Insects, too, were eaten. 



Digestion was rapid, requiring about one and a half hours for 

 the digestion and absorption of a pair of Sparrows. Birds were 

 always eaten without pulling a feather. If not too large they 

 were swallowed whole, for the throats of young Owls are quite 

 capacious. The indigestible parts are ejected when digestion is 

 completed. 



The Owl never, except once, fed knowingly in xwy presence 

 (and it was difficult to observe its habits without its knowledge). 

 Its sense of sight is so acute, and its range of vision so extended, 

 that I was compelled to use many devices to deceive the bird and 

 accomplish my purpose of observation without being observed. 

 The food put into its cage was seldom eaten until pressed by 

 hunger, and the bird never ate in a day more than one-third the 

 quantity of food eaten by the Accipiter in the same time. 



It could not easily be petted, nor did it acquire a fondness for 

 being handled. Indeed it seemed to remain unaffected by kind- 

 ness, and to love solitude. 



NOTES RELATIVE TO THE SENSE OF SMELL IN 

 THE TURKEY BUZZARD {CATHARTES 



AURA)* 



HOPKINS. 



DuKiNG the recjiit months there has been a good deal of dis- 

 cussion in several of the scientific and sporting papers regarding 

 the sense by which Buzzards find their food ; and while taking 



* Read before the Biological Society of Washington, D. C. 



