iSS3.] Hopkins on Sense of Smell in the Turkey Buzzard. 249 



a good deal of interest in it myself, I also take it for granted that 

 others have followed the discussion with interest ; and so I am 

 prompted to give here some notes of my own of observations 

 made during a residence of something over two years in South- 

 ern Florida. 



Early in my sojourn there I was told of instances in point by 

 some of the old 'Crackers,' all bearing out the assumption that 

 these birds do find tlieir food by the sense of smell, at times un- 

 aided by sight, and I often found opportunity for observing the 

 li ibits of these birds in this respect. 



When I first located in Florida, in the year 1884, the festive 

 and rather racy razor-back descendant of the Guinea hog and a 

 vjry thin shadow of the past, was quite plenty in the immediate 

 neighborhood of my home. 



My place was situated upon the eastern bank of a small lake, 

 about three-fourths of a mile in diameter; beyond this to the 

 southward stretched an expanse of some three miles of meadow, 

 dotted here and there by hummocky islands, which islands, to- 

 gether with a stretch of dense hummock, which began at the 

 southwest side of the lake, and merged at the west into a mag- 

 nificent piece of palmetto and live oak hummock, known as 

 Cabbage Island, were favorite night roosts and day haunts of 

 large numbers of the Turkey Buzzaixl. 



I have often seen them rise from their roosts in the morning, 

 after drying off their damp plumage, and when the morning 

 breeze had freshened up to a strong rate, — and here let me note 

 that, as far as my observation goes, upon damp, foggy or dewy 

 morniiuj^s, these birds never left their roosts till after things 

 were pretty thoroughly dried oft', and a strong morning breeze 

 was blowing, — and, ascending by soaring circles high into the 

 air, drift off across the wind, till, apparently striking a scent, 

 they would in a body move away up the wind to disappear in 

 the distance, or, as in several instances in my knowledge, to locate 

 and settle upon carrion known to me, or within my sight. 



I have also seen them drifting along ivith the wind till, strik- 

 ing a scent, they would work back up the wind, and settle down 

 to feast. Taking into account the fact that they had drifted some 

 way past the spot at last located, before locating it, it would 

 seem to prove that they had not seen it in passing at first, but 

 only took cognizance of it after striking the current of air which 

 carried the scent. 



