Some Birds 
and exhibition of decorative skill could be 
formed. In their natural state there are 
certainly none (so far as is known) of the 
feathered tribes that exhibit such a high 
degree of intellect as they attest, and their 
architectural achievements are truly wonder- 
ful. The bower is first built by making a 
platform of woven twigs, along the sides of 
which are planted twigs held 
in place by being stuck into 
the earth. These twigs are 
curved inwards to meet at 
the top, and other twigs are 
interwoven to give additional é 
strength, but great care is 
taken that no projections 
shall occur within the house 
to obstruct the movements of 
the birds. A Mr. Coxen, of 
Brisbane, New South Wales, 
was the first to ascertain with | 
certaimty that these artistic 
and ingenious constructions 
were the un- 
aided work of 
these birds. 
The curious 
structures 
were always 
found deco- 
rated with 
ornamental 
objects in 
search for 
which the 
birds must 
travel the 
country for 
miles around. 
Shells, peb- 
bles, feathers, 
bleached 
bones, seeds, and in fact anything decorative ; 
even skulls are brought and placed about, not 
at haphazard, but in a symmetrical way which 
can indicate only intelligent disposition. Mr. 
Gould, the well-known ornithologist, picked 
up near one entrance a small neatly worked 
stone tomahawk, with fragments of blue cotton 
rags, both of which had evidently been pur- 
loined from an encampment of the natives. 
BLACK VULTURE 
at the Zoo 151 
THESE scavengers of America, coupled with 
the Turkey Vulture, which it 
greatly resembles, will always 
be associated with that great 
controversy between the great Hnelish natu- 
ralist and observer, Charles Waterton, and 
that noted American ornithologist, John 
James Audubon, whose chief work, the ‘“ Birds 
of America,” was published 
at over £200 per copy. The 
dispute was as to whether 
vultures detected their prey 
by the sense of smell or sight. 
Audubon made experiments 
which he proved to show 
that vultures were solely 
guided by sight in dis- 
covering their prey, and 
although the Enelishman 
tried to prove the experiments 
of his friend as inconclusive, 
the American’s opinion is 
now universally accepted. 
About the 
middle of last 
century the 
black vulture 
was looked 
upon as quite 
a blessing by 
the inhabi- 
tants of the 
large cities, 
and a con- 
siderable 
penalty was 
imposed for 
lnling them. 
At Charles- 
town they 
were com- 
monly called 
“Five Pounds,” en the amount of this 
penalty. That these birds rendered actual ser- 
vice in removing from the city and its vicinity 
all dead animals and other garbage, there can 
be no doubt, and as they live on no other kind 
of food, and are to be counted by tens of 
thousands, they may appropriately be called 
scavengers, as the following account by Ullon 
goes to prove: “The great number of these 
Black Vulture 
of America. 
