Brewster on Suit hem Birds. 1 03 



all hours of the da}, in every kind of weather, they float over the 

 cities, villages, plantations, pine woods, hummocks, cypress 

 swamps, salt marshes and even the beaches of the Sea-islands. 

 Go where you will, it is almost impossible to look upward 

 without seeing the picturesque forms drifting about in the sky. 

 Some are soaring almost beyond the reach of human vision. 

 Others at a lower elevation cross and recross each other in 

 interminable mazy lines ; while still others glide across the 

 landscape passing just above the tops of the trees. Both species 

 occurred at St. Mary's, but the Black Vulture was much the less 

 common. It associated freelv with the Turkey Buzzards, among 

 which it could be recognized at almost any distance by its differ- 

 ent color, shape and manner of flying. The tail is so short as to 

 be altogether out of proportion with the body and wings, while 

 its square tip gives it the appearance of having been cut oft'. 

 This bird's flight is heavy, awkward and generally straight for- 

 ward, although it occasionally soars. The wings are flapped 

 every few seconds in a hurried, nei'vous manner that seems 

 to betoken a lack of power or confidence. The flight of the 

 Turkey Buzzard, on the contrary, is a picture of repose in mo- 

 tion. The bird rarely mcwes its wings, save to alter their 

 inclination, and its dark form drifts through miles of space 

 without the slightest perceptible eflbrt. The impression of 

 entire freedom from exertion which its movements convey, is 

 curiously in accord with the general enervating influence of 

 southern life and its surroundings. Its impassive flight may per- 

 haps be regarded as the most characteristic feature of a southern 

 landscape, as it certainly is one of the most attractive. But the 

 observer who would keep this impression untarnished \\\\\ be 

 wise to refrain from looking too closely into the useftil side of 

 the bird's character. 



The Buzzard's flight will not bear comparison however with 

 that of the Swallow-tailed Kite. The latter is equally easy and 

 graceful of wing, and. in addition, its movements are characterized 

 by a certain dash and energy of purpose that one looks for in vain 

 in the calm, emotionless flight of the Vulture. I hardly know a 

 more attractive sight than that presented by one of these Kites 

 playing about an opening in the woods. For a moment it floats 

 motionless, as if suspended by an invisible wire ; the next, it 

 glides close over the ground crossing and recrossing every yard 



