280 ANIMAL LIFE IN THE TOSEMITE 



close in toward the place where he descended. In turn the birds bej'ond 

 them close in and so on until, if the object be a large one, such as the 

 carcass of a horse or cow, as many as thirty or forty will finally congregate 

 at the one spot. 



The buzzards' inspection of the country over which they range is 

 exceedingly minute, and rarely does even so small an object as the body 

 of a ground squirrel escape their detection. In fact, bodies of small birds 

 and even of mice, used as bait for traps and placed under shelter of bushes, 

 are often detected by the buzzards. Much of this keenness is in their 

 eyesight; they seem to depend but little, primarily, upon the sense of 

 smell, although this latter sense may also be highly developed as an 

 auxiliary faculty in locating food. 



The flight of the Turkey Buzzard in migration is an impressive sight. 

 At Pleasant Valley on the afternoon of February 26, 1916, about 75 were 

 seen manoeuvering about over a hill to the west, and at the moment their 

 general movement was toward the south. Half an hour later, the flock 

 was again seen, from the Baxter road. They were then in an elongated 

 formation and sailing rather low. A few seconds later the leaders turned 

 and soon all members of the flock were circling about, each one weaving 

 its course in and out between its companions, much in the manner of 

 participants in a Maypole dance. All the while this circling continued the 

 birds were rising higher and higher. Finally, having probably attained 

 an altitude which gave unobstructed view up and down the foothills, the 

 flock, with surprising concert, again assumed the elongated formation, 

 with usually not more than four nearly abreast, and quickly passed north- 

 eastward over the hills and out of sight. While circling, and even when 

 moving forward, the birds engaged in a relatively small amount of flap- 

 ping ; usually they would sail for a half -minute or more without perceptible 

 change in the posture of body, wings, or tail. After the flock had passed 

 on, a single bird was seen circling in the place where its companions had 

 lately been and three other birds sailed slowly about over the opposite 

 wall of the Merced Canon. Residents said that these birds were the first 

 for that season. Next day the newly arrived individuals behaved as though 

 perfectly at home, and had their coming not been witnessed on the previous 

 day there would have been no reason to believe that they had been there 

 only overnight. Evidently no time is lost in settling down. 



In the early morning hours just before or just after sunrise, buzzards 

 perch in hunched-up postures, on trees by the roadside. Often four or more 

 birds may be observed in a single tree, evidently waiting until the air 

 conditions become such as to enable them to soar about in their accustomed 

 manner. When approached, these birds often spread their wings and hold 

 them extended for several minutes, and sometimes they successively expand 



