74 THE BIRDS OF 



which are more harmful than bene- 

 ficial to agriculture. 



TURKEY VULTURE OR BUZZARD 

 These birds are very desirable, owing 

 to their diet. It consists of the car- 

 casses of dead animals. In a very short 

 time a flock of these scavengers will de- 

 vour a horse or cow. Up to the present 

 time Turkey Vultures have been seldom 

 observed in Northern New Jersey, but 

 they are now common in the Somerset 

 Hills. My first record for them was in 

 1908. They were seen occasionally in 

 that year. In 1909 they were more 

 common, but in 1910 rather less so, in 

 which year, as also in 1911, the majority 

 of Buzzards were late in arriving, 

 though both years brought early in- 

 dividual records. 



The feathers of the Buzzard are black 

 and the head is naked and of a red 

 color. 



