Turkey Buzzard. 253 



vicinity of densely-populated towns, the greater abundance 

 of carrion to be met with in the former places doubtless 

 being the cause of this preference. But in California and 

 Oregon, according to Dr. Newberry, they are quite as com- 

 mon near towns as about the large rivers. In our Southern 

 States they visit cities and large villages, and play the part 

 of scavengers in company with the black vulture. They are 

 said to be so tame and unsuspicious in Kingston, Jamaica, 

 that they roost upon the house-tops or prey upon offal in 

 the streets. In country places they are no less familiar and 

 trustful, as is evidenced while feeding. So intent upon their 

 business are they at this time that the presence of human 

 beings is unnoticed, and even when forced to forsake their 

 booty they sullenly repair to a short distance, only to resume 

 their feeding when the annoyance has passed. The common 

 crow has been observed to gather around the same food, and 

 the utmost good-feeling prevailed. A small flock will often 

 settle down upon a dead horse around which several dogs 

 have gathered. The snapping and snarling of the dogs, 

 when they approach them too closely, do not cause the 

 Vultures to retire, but only to step a few paces aside, when, 

 nothing daunted, they continue their feeding, apparently 

 oblivious of their whereabouts and surroundings. 



Although the sense of sight is rather keenly developed in 

 these birds, yet that of smell is none the less so. This is an 

 advantage, for both the visual and olfactory organs seem 

 requisite in the determination of the presence of decaying 

 animal matters. As a proof that smell leads to food-detec- 

 tion, Dr. Brewer cites an instance, on the authority of Dr. 

 Hill, where several of these birds were attracted to the 

 house of a German emigrant who was prostrated by fever, 

 being drawn by the strong odor escaping from his neglected 

 food which had become putrid. Mr. G. C. Taylor, whilst a 

 resident of Kingston, sufficiently tested their power of smell. 

 He wrapped the carcass of a bird in a piece of paper, and 

 flung the parcel into the summit of a densely-leaved tree, 



