48 BLACK VULTURE. 



a preference to maritime districts, or the neighbourhood of water. Al- 

 though shy in the woods, it is half domesticated in and about our cities 

 and villages, where it finds food without the necessity of using much ex- 

 ertion. Charleston, Savannah, New Orleans, Natchez, and other cities, 

 are amply provided with these birds, which may be seen flying or walk- 

 ing about the streets the whole day in groups. They also regularly 

 attend the markets and shambles, to pick up the pieces of flesh thrown 

 away by the butchers, and, when an opportunity occurs, leap from one 

 bench to another, for the pur]30se of helping themselves. Hundreds of 

 them are usually found, at all hours of the day, about the slaughter- 

 houses, which are their favourite resort. They alight on the roofs and 

 chimney-tops, wherever these are not guarded by spikes or pieces of glass, 

 which, however, they frequently are, for the purpose of preventing the 

 contamination by their ordure of the rain water, which the inhabitants of 

 the Southern States collect in tanks, or cisterns, for domestic use. They 

 follow the carts loaded with ofFal or dead animals, to the places in the 

 suburbs where these are deposited, and wait the skinning of a cow or 

 horse, when in a few hours they devour its flesh, in the company of the 

 dogs, which are also accustomed to frequent such places. On these occa- 

 sions, they fight with each other, leap about and tug in all the hurry and 

 confusion imaginable, uttering a harsli sort of hiss or grunt, which may 

 be heard at a distance of several hundred yards. Should eagles make 

 their appearance at such a juncture, the Carrion Crows retire, and pa- 

 tiently wait until their betters are satisfied, but they pay little regard to 

 the dogs. When satiated, they rise together, should the weather be fair, 

 mount high in the air, and perform various evolutions, flying in large cir- 

 cles, and alternately plunging and rising, until they at length move off" in 

 a straight direction, or alight on the dead branches of trees, where they 

 spread out their wings and tail to the sun or the breeze. In cold and 

 wet weather they assemble round the chimney-tops, to receive the warmth 

 imparted by the smoke. I never heard of their disgorging their food on 

 such occasions, that being never done unless when they are feeding their 

 young, or when suddenly alarmed or caught. In that case, they throw 

 up the contents of their stomach with wonderful quickness and power. 



No law exists for the protection of this or the other species, their use- 

 fulness alone affording them security in the Southern States, although the 

 people generally speak of a law with the view of preventing them from 

 being molested. As to their propensity to attack live animals, at least 



