THE GALLINAZO. 239 



hot, damp climate the effluvium arising from putrefaction 

 would be quite intolerable. In the town of Savannah it 

 walks about in great numbers, devoting especial attention 

 to the quarter inhabited by the hog-butchers. But it is 

 said also to scent, or in some way to discover, carrion at 

 a distance of three or four leagues. Its sight is certainly 

 extraordinarily keen, for when compelled to search for food 

 it rises to such a height as to dwindle down to a hardly 

 visible black speck, yet from that vast distance it watches 

 intently the movements of both animals and hunters, 

 knowing well that the latter often kill a bison for the sake 

 of its skin and marrow-bones, and leave the carcass for its 

 benefit. 



The Turkey-buzzard will wait and watch its food, not 

 condescending to touch it until it is well seasoned ; but the 

 Gallinazo is less fastidious. A horse having dropped down 

 and died in the streets of Charleston, the carcass was 

 dragged out to the suburb of Hampstead, where in a short 

 time it was covered and surrounded by a dense crowd of 

 these so-called " carrion-crows," many of which sat on the 

 tops of sheds, fences, and houses, while several hovered in 

 the air overhead, and at a distance. At one time 237 were 

 counted, but probably this does not represent the whole 

 number; for the ground was simply black with them for 

 the space of a hundred yards on all sides of the carcass, 

 thirty-seven were upon and immediately around it, so 

 that scarcely an inch of it was visible, and several were 

 inside, presenting a most savage appearance as they from 

 time to time emerged. Three or four dogs were assisting 

 at the scene, growling and snapping when the wings of the 



