30 HABITS OP BIRDS. 



perching on the head and pecking out the eyes. In 

 temperate climates, birds that prey on carrion are less 

 necessary as scavengers than in tropical countries, 

 where flocks of vultures collect together from dis- 

 tances that have astonished all observers by whom 

 the circumstance is recorded. The gregariousness 

 of these birds, however, may be plausibly referred 

 to the wise care of Providence to have offensive 

 carcasses speedily removed ; and it is manifestly with 

 this design, that such birds are endowed with ex- 

 tremely acute senses, either of vision or of smell, 

 probably both, so as to enable them to discover 

 carrion afar off. 



This is well exemplified in two species, which have 

 been frequently confounded, the Turkey buzzard 

 (Caihajisia aura, VIEILLOT) and the black vulture 

 (C. Urubu, VIEILLOT), both of which are looked upon 

 as so useful that there is a considerable penalty for 

 killing them. The former, indeed, as we learn from 

 M. Descourtilz, is at Charleston commonly called 

 by the name of Five pounds, from the amount of the 

 penalty. " These birds," he adds, " are thus re- 

 spected for the actual services which they render in re- 

 moving from the city and its vicinity all dead animals 

 and other garbage upon which they exclusively feed. 

 Hence, if even a chicken die, it is not long before its 

 bones are picked clean. The vultures are occupied 

 the whole day in making their rounds to discover 

 carrion and offal, and, corning down in legions, they 

 mutually contend for the prey, which instantly disap- 

 pears. They are so familiar that they may easily be 

 knocked down with a stick. I had a great desire 

 to procure a specimen in this way ; but I was not 

 disposed to pay five louis d'or of penalty *." <4 The 

 great number of these birds 5 ' (C. Urubu) 9 says 

 Ulloa, " found in such hot climates, is an excellent 

 * Voyages d'un Naluraliste, i. 244. 



