BLACK VULTURE 101 



no semblance of a song. Add to all this ugliness its 

 habit of disseminating contagions diseases among hog 

 herds, which is undoubtedly the case in hog cholera, 

 where one epidemic is spread to distant droves by Vul- 

 tures polluting water courses and hog drinking-troughs, 

 and the evidence is sufficient to convict the Vulture and 

 lead to its extermination. 



While looking for the Black Vulture's nest in Old 

 Mexico, near the Rio Grande River, I saw a Painted 

 Bunting, passerina ciris, with its unrivalled plumage, ex- 

 celling that of any other bird I have ever seen in the 

 harmonious blending of ultra-marine blue on the head, 

 vermillion red on the under parts, green and yellow on 

 the edge of the chin and greater wing coverts and pur- 

 plish blue on the tail. As I looked at this symphony in 

 colors and saw near me the hissing, incubating Black Vul- 

 ture, I considered that the maker of the latter had just 

 about ruined it. 



