176 SPRING AT THE CAPITAL. 



ones and twos, and alight in the trees near 

 me. Presently they came in greater num- 

 bers, but from the same direction, flapping 

 low over the woods, and taking up their posi- 

 tion in the middle branches. On alighting, 

 each one would blow very audibly through 

 his nose, just as a cow does when she lies 

 down ; this is the only sound I have ever 

 heard the buzzard make. They would then 

 stretch themselves after the manner of tur- 

 keys, and walk along the limbs. Sometimes 

 a decayed branch would break under the 

 weight of two or three, when, with a great 

 flapping, they would take up new positions. 

 They continued to come till it was quite 

 dark, and all the trees about me were full. 

 I began to feel a little nervous, but kept my 

 place. After it was entirely dark, and all 

 was still, I gathered a large pile of dry leaves 

 and kindled it with a match, to see what they 

 would think of a fire. Not a sound was 

 heard till the pile of leaves was in full blaze, 

 when instantaneously every buzzard started. 

 I thought the tree-tops were coming down 

 upon me, so great was the uproar. But the 

 woods were soon cleared, and the loathsome 

 pack disappeared in the night. 



About the first of June I saw numbers of 



