THE VULTURE AND THE HAWK. 193 



with. The roosting places of these birds are 

 singularly interesting. " Thej choose," Audu- 

 bon tells us, " the margin of ponds, lakes, and 

 rivers, upon the rank weeds." 



The observations of other travellers have, 

 however, met with them in very different situ- 

 ations. Among the hills of the Green Eiver 

 country, Kentucky, they may be seen streaming 

 overhead in great numbers. An unusual noise 

 is then produced in the air. On advancing in 

 the direction with them, the sound grows in 

 volume, till it bursts forth in a commingled 

 roar of notes and beating wings, which is ab- 

 solutely deafening. All around, for the space 

 of half an acre, the cracking trees bend be- 

 neath multiplied thousands of crows, shifting 

 and flapping Avith unceasing movement, every 

 one screaming his vociferous "caw" in bois- 

 terous emulation. Resembling a pigeon roost 

 very closely, it differs in this respect, that by the 

 time dark sets in, the crows are all quiet, sitting 

 black and still, in heaped masses, as they are 

 defined against the dim sky. In the pigeon 

 roost, on the contrary, the heavy thundering of 

 myriad wings rolls on without ceasing, till just 

 before day.* 



The vulture, with several species of the hawk, 



* North American Review. 

 17 



