FLIGHT OF THE VULTURE 75 



"His broad, expanded wings 

 Lay calm and motionless upon the air, 

 As if he floated there without their aid. 

 By the sole act of his unlorded will. 

 That buoyed him proudly up." 



The flight of the Vulture, by which it gains enormous 

 heights without any serious exertion after getting well clear 

 of the earth, is an interesting illustration of what a perfect 

 aeroplane might accomplish if it could flap its wings for a 

 lofty rise, sail with abundant wing power, and be intelligently 

 guided. Beyond doubt, the bird keeps aloft by properly 

 utilizing the lifting power of air currents. 



By a strange coincidence, the bird which flies highest and 

 longest, and soars most majestically, is also the bird of lowest 

 tastes on the earth. Although it has strong talons and a 

 strong beak, it kills nothing, and feeds upon dead animals. 

 In every country on earth, vultures are treated as highly 

 useful creatures. In the tropics, where their services really 

 are of great value, they are fully protected by law. 



The species found farthest north, with a bright red head 

 and neck, is the Turkey Vulture, and it ranges across the 

 continent from the plains of the Saskatchewan to Pata- 

 gonia. 



The Black Vulture,^ marked by a head and plumage 

 which are perfectly black, is seldom seen in the northern por- 

 tions of the United States, but is abundant in the Gulf states, 

 and southward far down into South America. In appearance 

 this bird is most funereal. It is a smaUer bird than, the tur- 

 key vulture, but does not fly so well, and flaps its wings 



1 Caih-ar-is'ta ur'u-bu. Average length, about 25 inches. 



