BLACK VULTURE. 47 



art to restore his lost sight. His life was, however, preserved, by occa- 

 sionally putting food in his mouth. In this situation they placed him in a 

 small out-house, hung the flesh of the hare (which had now become offen- 

 sive) within his reach ; nay, they frequently placed it within an inch of 

 his nostrils, but the bird gave no evidence of any knowledge that his fa- 

 vourite food was so near him. This was repeated from time to time dur- 

 ing an interval of twenty-four days (the period of his death), with the 

 same results. 



We were not aware that any other experiment could be made to enable 

 us to arrive at more satisfactory conclusions; and as we feared, if pro- 

 longed, they might become offensive to the neighbours, we abandoned 

 them." 



As my humble name can scarcely be known to many of those into whose 

 hands this communication may fall, I have thought proper to obtain the 

 signature of some of the gentlemen who aided me in, or witnessed these 

 experiments; and I must also add, that there was not an individual 

 among the crowd of persons who came to judge for themselves, who did 

 not coincide with those who have given their signatures to this certificate. 

 " We the subscribers, having witnessed the experiments made on the 

 habits of the Vultures of Carolina [CatJiartes Aura and Cathartes Jota), 

 commonly called Turkey Buzzard and Carrion Crow, feel assured that 

 they devour fresh as well as putrid food of any kind, and that they are 

 guided to their food altogether through their sense of sight, and not that 

 of smell. 



Robert Henry, A.M., President of the College of South Carolina. 



John Wagner, M.D., Prof, of Surg, at the Med. Col. State So. Gar. 



Henry R. Frost, M.D., Pro. Mat. Med. Col. State So. Car. 



C. F. Leitner, Lecturer on Bot. and Nat. His. So. Car. 



B. B. Strobel, M.D. 



Martin Stbobel." 



It now remains for me to present you with an account of those habits 

 of the Black Vulture which have not been described above. This bird is 

 a constant resident in all our Southern States, extends far up the Missis- 

 sippi, and continues the whole year in Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and 

 even in the State of Ohio as far as Cincinnati. Along the Atlantic coast, 

 it is, I believe, rarely seen farther east than Maryland. It seems to give 



