THE VULTURE. 115 



Crimean War the Vultures emigrated to Europe with an 

 eye to unlimited dead horse. They can bear both heat 

 and cold, and the only hindrance they would be likely to 

 meet, one would think, would be heavy jungle in which 

 they could not see their food. The New World birds are 

 more enterprising, for the Turkey Buzzard extends from 

 end to end, almost, of the American Continent and is a 

 well known bird everywhere. It is true that one of the 

 Old World birds, the huge Cinereous Vulture (VuUur 

 monachus] also spreads from Spain to China, but it is 

 not a common species anywhere, so that there must 

 be some check on its increase that does not exist in 

 the case of the much weaker and smaller Turkey- 

 Buzzard, which is a very insignificant bird compared 

 to it. But nothing demonstrates better than the 

 study of the lives of birds that the battle is not 

 always to the strong. The Turkey Buzzard in Jamaica 

 has itself been recently experiencing a serious and 

 quite unexpected check by reason of the introduction 

 of one of our best known Indian animals, the mongoose. 

 This beast plays havoc with the eggs of the poor Vul- 

 ture, which has not, so far, developed sufficient sense to 

 move his domestic belongings to a safer situation than 

 the bare ground and has become much less numer- 

 ous in consequence. It is evident therefore that "John 

 Crow," as the Turkey Buzzard is called, has not intelli- 

 gence equal to his constitution, and that he has prospered 

 so far more by luck than judgment. 



