('ATIIAIITID.K-TIIK AMKKICAN VlI.TIliKS. (■-,'» 



liierous, forty or lil'ty lii'inn rrci|iKMi(ly seen in a single! coiiiiiany. Tlioy 

 iiliouudeil ill all ]iarts ol Cciitiiil America llial lu- visited. 



\\itii till' cxci'ijtioii (if (Jidai'iilim ninrritnis, .Mr. Salviu rryanls tliis siiocics 

 as tla; iiio.st familiar liird in (iiiateiiiala. At iii^dit tlicy retirwl to tins 

 forests, and in tlio early moriiiii!,' trooiicd back to tlicir post.s in tlio stivct.s 

 and lanes, and alioiit tliu tops of tiiu lioiiscs and cliiiirlies. Tlicy f,'ciiera!ly 

 iicstiMl in till! furcsts, llioii^ii in Anlimia (iiialemala lliey were said to nse 

 the rnins of tlic old diurclies for liiat purpose. 



]\rr. Dresser found tliis Viiltiiri' alMait e(juall\ (•oniinon with tha Ji.aurft on 

 the Lower I'io (iraiide, lait iiiucli less common near San Aiitoni(j. lie usu- 

 ally found the two species in comi)any, attended also by the J'o/i/liuni.s amln- 

 boiii and Cra.rli'c.r Itnrylsi. They were found hreediiij,' iinioiij,' tlii! rocks al 

 Systerdale, where they were said to he the only species found. 



I)r. Coues did not meet witli any in Arizona, nor were any taken on tliu 

 survey of the ]\Ie.\ican hoiindary. In South Carolina he considered it 

 chielly confined to lla^ lower country, while the V. nurd is more generally 

 distrilmted over the Slate. The two meet toj^ether iVeidy, and as tiiey circle 

 about ill each other's company they allbrd an e.veelleiit opportunity of no- 

 ticing- the nreat ditferences in their mode of ilieht and in the outliiie of their 

 liodies and wiiius. On the other hand, Wilson, Ord, and others deny that 

 the two kinds live; to.nether. 



In tlie Southern Atlantic' cities, especially Charleston and Savannah, the 

 r.iack Vulture is a semi-domestic bird, and is very abundant. It is als(j to 

 be found in the interior, but is neither so common nor so tame. 



Tiie (\ifharl>iUi alyiilos is said to be much more sensitive to cold than the 

 (ii'm, and when the weather is at all uufavm'able they cower anaind the tops 

 of chimneys to enjoy the heat. Thou-h tolerated "and even protected by 

 law, their lilthy habits render them a source of annoyance to those wlio.so 

 hou.ses they freciiient. 'J'heir value as scavenn-ers and the .services they render 

 in the removal of ofllil render them almost a necessity in Southern cities. 



r.oth in their mode of ili,o|,t ;„„i j,, ,i„.j,. „„ivenu-iits upon the j.nmnd 

 this spcMcs dilfers materially from the Turkey-P.uzzard. The latter^Avalks 

 steadily wliilo on the nnamd, and when it mounts does .so bv a single ii])- 

 ward spring. The JJiack Vulture is ill at oa.se on the yrouiid, move^ awk- 

 wardly, and when it e.s.says to tly npward takes .severaMeai.s in a sliulllin-r 

 sid.'lono- manner before it can rise. Their tli-ht is more labored, and is con" 

 tinueil by Happing .several times, alternating with .sailing a limited distance. 

 Their wings are held at right angles, and their feet j-rotrude bevoiid their 

 tail-leathers. In all these respects the dilferences between the two liirds are 

 very noticeable, and plainly mark the sjiecies. 



Mr. Audubon states tliat at tiie commencement of the mating-season, early 

 in February, the gesticulations of the males are verv conspFcuous. They 

 strut in the manner of a Turkey-cock, open their wings, lower their heads, 

 and utter a puHiiig sound that is anylhiug but musical. 

 VIM., m. 43 



