CATHAUTJI)/K — THE AMERICAN VULTlllES. 347 



met with them at Fort Dulles, in Oregon, a iid also 011 I'uget Sound. He 

 also met with them not lav IVoni IVMiliina. Dr. XewlieiTy also observed them 

 in Caiironiia and Ore.uon, i|uite eommon in the vicinity of the towns and 

 about the ureat rivers, in the Klamath l}a.sin it was more rare, and on the 

 Des Clnites lie scarcely saw any ; Imt on the C'olumliia, especially l)elow the 

 CVtscades, they were very iilentiful. 



Dr. lleermann found this l)ir(l ran,L;in,i;- over the whole extent of California, 

 meeting- them in <;reat numl)ers in the vicinity of Fort Yuma, at the junction 

 of the Colorado and (!ila {{ivers. 



In the AVest India Islands these birds occur in Cuba, Jamaica, and 

 Trinidad ; but accordinji to Mr. K. C. Taylor, neither this nor any other spe- 

 cies of Vulture occurs in any of the islands between Trinidad and St. Thomas, 

 not even in T(jl)a,!.fo or I'orto Itieo. At T'linidail they are very abundant. 



Mr. C!. C. Taylor found this Vulture common in Honduras, wliere, how- 

 ever, it does not go much into the towns and villages, but is usually seen 

 on the out.skirts and in the forests, in (lualemala, Mr. Salvin found it 

 not nearly .so abundant as ('. n/i'iit-ns, and there also, as in Honduras, it 

 fre(piented the more unodtivateil and tbrest districts, leaving to the latter 

 all the duties of the .scavenger. Cajjtain C. C. Alibott found this Vulture 

 very common in the Falkland Islands, remaining the whole year round, and 

 breeding. 



The llight of the Turkey-Ihizzard is graceful, dignified, and easy. It sails 

 witli a steady, even motion, with wings ju.st a.)0ve tlie luiri/.ontal position, 

 with their ti]is .slightly raised. They ri.se from the ground with a single 

 Ixuiud, give a few thi])s to their wing.s, and then proceed with their pec\diar, 

 soaring llight. Tlu^y lise very higii in the air, moving round in large circles. 

 They are of gngarious habit.s, and usually as.sociato in com])anies of from ten 

 to a much larger number. They feed upon all kinds of animal food, and are 

 accu.sed by Audubon of sucking eggs and devouring the young of Herons aiul 

 other liirds. Yet in Trinidad lliey were observed by Mr. K. C. Taylor associat- 

 ing with the ])oultryap])arently upon the most amicable terms, and, although 

 surrounded with chickens of all sizes, tiiey were never known to molest 

 them. 'Sir. Audulton also states that they devour birds of their own s]iecies 

 when dead. They are said to walk well on tlu; grnnid and on the roofs of 

 houses, and as,sociate and even roost in company with the Black \'ulture. 

 Dr. lleermann, wlio observed them on the desert lietween the Colorado and 

 ( 'arissa Creek, where they iind an amj)le supjily (jf food I'rom numerous 

 animals that there perish from want of grass and water, states that tliey 

 seenjed to be on terms of amity both with the liavens and the California 

 Vultures, but retire on the ajiju'oach of the prairie wolf, lie adds that 

 when a company of these ^'ultures have once conunenced u])on a carcass, a 

 scene of plunder, noise, confusion, and dis])ute ensues, baltling all descrii)tion. 

 F^ach one strives, as best he nuiy, to bolt the morsel he has seized, or tu rob 

 his neighbor whose booty is too voluminous to ije despatched at (jnce. As 



