BLACK VULTURE. 669 
thirty-seven, but I believe there. were more, besides several 1n the air 
over my head, and at a distance. I ventured cautiously within thirty 
yards of the carcass, where three or four dogs, and twenty or thirty 
Vultures, were busily tearing and devouring. Seeing them take no 
notice, I ventured nearer, till 1 was within ten yards, and sat down on 
the bank. Still they paid little attention to me. The dogs, being 
sometimes accidentally flapped with the wings of the Vultures, would 
growl and snap at them, which would occasion them to spring up for 
a moment, but they immediately gathered in again. I remarked the 
Vultures frequently attack each other, fighting with their claws or 
heels, striking like a cock, with open wings, and fixing their claws in 
each other’s head. The females, and, J believe, the males likewise, made 
a hissing sound, with open mouth, exactly resembling that produced 
by thrusting a red hot poker into water; and frequently a snuffling, 
like a dog clearing his nostrils, as I suppose they were theirs. On ob- 
serving that they did not heed me, I stole so close that my feet were 
within one yard of the horse’s legs, and again sat down. They all slid 
aloof a few feet; but, seeing me quiet, they soon returned as before. 
As they were often disturbed by the dogs, I ordered the latter home: 
my voice gave no alarm to the Vultures. As soon as the dogs depart- 
ed, the Vultures crowded in such numbers, that I counted at one time 
thirty-seven on and around the carcass, with several within; so that 
scarcely an inch of it was visible. Sometimes one would come out 
with a large piece of the entrails, which in a moment was surrounded 
by several others, who tore it in fragments, and it soon disappeared. 
They kept up the hissing occasionally. Some of them, having their 
whole legs and heads covered with blood, presented a most savage 
aspect. Still as the dogs advanced, I would order them away, which 
seemed to gratify the Vultures; and one would pursue another to 
within a foot or two of the spot where I was sitting. Sometimes I ob- 
served them stretching their necks along the ground, as if to press the 
food downwards,” F 
The Carrion Crow is seldom found on the Atlantic to the northward 
of Newbern, North Carolina,* but inhabits the whole continent to the 
southward, as far as Cape Horn. Don Ulloa, in noticing the birds of 
Carthagena, gives an account of a Vulture, which we shall quote, in 
order to establish the opinion, advanced in the preceding history, that 
it is the present species. We shall afterwards subjoin other testimo- 
ny in confirmation of this opinion, With respect to the marvellous 
tale of their attacking the cattle in the pastures, it is too improbable to 
merit a serious refutation. 
“Jt would be too great an undertaking to describe all the extraor- 
dinary birds that inhabit this country; but J cannot refrain from no- 
ticing that to which they give the name of Gallinazo, from the resem- 
blance it has to the Turkey Hen. This bird is of the size of a Pea 
Hen, but its head and neck are something larger. I'rom the crop to 
the base of the bill, it has no feathers: this space is surrounded with a 
wrinkled, glandulous, and rough skin, which forms numerous warts, 
and other similar inequalities. This skin is black, as is the plumage 
* Since writing the above, I have been informed by a gentleman who resides at 
Detroit, on Lake Erie, that the Carrion Crow is common at that place. 
