1384 WAKE-—ROBIN 
not nest anywhere in this vicinity, I thought they 
might be males. JI happened to be detained late in 
the woods, watching the nest of a flying squirrel, 
when the buzzards, just after sundown, began to 
come by ones and twos and alight in the trees near 
me. Presently they came in greater numbers, but 
from the same direction, flapping low over the 
woods, and taking up their position in the middle 
branches. On alighting, each one would blow very 
audibly through his nose, just as a cow does when 
she lies down; this is the only sound I have ever 
heard the buzzard make. They would then stretch 
themselves, after.the manner of turkeys, and walk 
along the limbs. Sometimes a decayed branch 
would break under the weight of two or three, 
when, with a great flapping, they would take up 
new positions. They continued to come till it was 
quite dark, and all the trees about me were full. I 
began to feel a little nervous, but kept my place. 
After it was entirely dark and all was still, I gath- 
ered a large pile of dry leaves and kindled it with a 
match, to see what they would think of a fire. Not 
a sound was heard till the pile of leaves was in full 
blaze, when instantaneously every buzzard started. 
I thought the treetops were coming down upon me, 
so great was the uproar. But the woods were soon 
cleared, and the loathsome pack disappeared in the 
night. 
About the first of June I saw numbers of buz- 
zards sailing around over the great Falls of the 
Potomac. 
