768 Report of State Geologist. 



or summits, or in the more level woodland. The following measure- 

 ments are from three sets collected near Brookville by my friend, Mr. 

 E. E. .Quick: 2.90 by 1.95; 2.70 by 1.90, deposited on ground beside 

 a log, coUected May 14, 1879. 2.95 by 1.95; 3.10 by 1.85, laid in hol- 

 low sycamore snag, six feet above ground and forty feet from the top, 

 and only entrance; collected May 15, 1879. Incubation was far ad- 

 vanced in both sets. 2.75 by 1.94; 2.75 by 2.00, taken May 20, 1880; 

 eggs fresh. 



Mr. W. 0. Wallace wrote me of a nest containing young found by a 

 friend of his in Wabash County in the summer of 1894. When he 

 first saw the young birds they were about the size of half-grown 

 chickens, and entirely covered with white down. When they were 

 disturbed they hissed loud enough to have drowned the noise of a hive 

 of angry bees. They were at the bottom of a large elm tree stub, on 

 the ground. After some effort, one of the birds was taken out of the 

 hollow trunk. When it was teased it ejected the contents of its 

 stomach, which proved to be a mass of half-digested garter snake. 



They feed upon all kinds of carrion and fresh meat. The latter is 

 their preference. There are, at different localities, places, where these 

 birds congregate, known as "Buzzard Eoosts." At such spots great 

 numbers of these Vultures gather from a considerable area of country. 

 One such is on the east Fork of the Whitewater River, about fiAc 

 miles north of Brookville. There, at almost any time, in summer, 

 these birds may be seen on the long limbs of the sycamores and elms 

 along the river, resting or drying or preening their feathers after a 

 bath. There is another well known roost at Shades of Death, near 

 AVaveland, Parke County. This overlooks the deep and rocky valley 

 of Sugaj Creek. 



They begin to withdraw from the northern part of their range in 

 October, sometimes early, others remaining until the close, and gradu- 

 ally disappear to the southward. Some years most of the migrants are 

 gone by the last of that month; others remain until late November 

 and even into December. Mr. E. J. Chansler writes me of a pure white 

 Turkey Vulture that was seen in Knox County. 



69. Qksvs CATHARISTA Vieillot. 



*127. (326). Catharista atrata (Bartr.). 



Black Vulture. 

 Synonym, Cabkion Chow. 



Adult.— Head and upper part of neck, naked, black; the feathers 

 reaching farther up on back of neck; bill, black at base, with white, 

 tip; plumage, uniform dull black; under part of surface of wings, 



