dispute over food it is invariably the vic- 

 tor. 



It is said that in many southern cities 

 the Black Vultures may be seen in num- 

 bers "walking the streets with all the 

 familiarity of domestic fowls, examining 

 the channels and accumulations of filth 

 in order to glean the offal or animal mat- 

 ter of any kind which may happen to be 

 thrown out." They seem to be very regu- 

 lar in their visits to the market places of 

 Charleston, South Carolina, as some of 

 the constant visitants are readily recog- 

 nized by some peculiar characteristic. 

 Thomas Nuttall states that one old bird, 

 which had lost one of its feet, regularly 

 visited the vicinity of the markets for a 

 period of twenty years. 



The Black Vultures are gregarious 

 and frequently breed in small communi- 

 ties. When a number are feeding upon 

 the same carrion, they seldom fight, but 

 will occasionally peck at each other and 

 scold with a low grunting sound. They 

 are most disgustingly glutinous, and at 

 times will gorge themselves to such an 

 extent that the food will run from their 



mouths, and they can hardly fly to a 

 roosting place where they can rest until 

 the digestive processes are sufficiently 

 completed to permit them to again begin 

 feeding. 



These Black Vultures make no attempt 

 to build a home, but lay their eggs upon 

 the ground in slight depressions which 

 are lined only by the vegetation which 

 has naturally fallen on the spot. The 

 sites selected are usually well protected 

 by dense vegetation ; under shrubs, yuc- 

 cas, palmettos, on the dry hillocks of 

 cypress swamps, and in a few cases inside 

 and at the base of a large hollow tree. 

 They will also nest in hollow logs in 

 rather dense forests, and on the ground 

 in canebrakes. Occasionally they nest in 

 perfectly open and unsheltered places. 



The Vultures are emphatically useful 

 birds in the economy of man, and yet 

 they are cowardly, and indolent, except 

 when feeding, and all their habits are 

 such that they present "one of the most 

 savage and disgusting scenes in nature, 

 and truly worthy to be the infernal bird 

 of Prometheus." 



THE SPRING HERALD. 



While snow lies still on the northern slope. 

 And the brown earth wears no sign of spring, 



It is with joy and a rising hope 



We hear the herald his tidings sing. 



What cares he how the March winds do blow 

 O'er the leafless woods and meadows sere? 



He oft proclaims that we all may know, 



'Tis "Spring o' the year ! Spring o' the year !" 



We gladly list to thy merry notes, 



When the air is chill and skies are dark. 



No promise of spring from feathered throats 

 Is sweeter than thine, Blithe Meadowlark ! 



— -Creswell J. Hunt. 



