154 SPRING AT THE CAPITAL. 



In May, like the crows, they nearly all disappear 

 very suddenly, probably to their breeding-haunts neai 

 the sea-shore. Do the males separate from the fe- 

 males at this time, and go by themselves ? At any 

 rate, in July I discovered that a large number of 

 buzzards roosted in some woods near Rock Creek, 

 about a mile from the city limits ; and, as they do 

 not nest anywhere in this vicinity, I thought they 

 might be males. I happened to be detained late in 

 the woods, watching the nest of a flying squirrel, when 

 the buzzards, just after sundown, began to come by 

 ones and twos and alight in the trees near me. Pres- 

 ently they came in greater numbers, but from the 

 Bamc direction flapping low over the woods, and tak- 

 ing up their position in the middle branches. On 

 aligning, each one would blow very audibly through 

 his nose, just as a cow does when she lies down ; this 

 is tne only sound I have ever heard the buzzard 

 make. They would then stretch themselves after the 

 manner of turkeys, and walk along the limbs. Some- 

 times 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 everj 



