BLACK VULTURE 77 



These birds are strong and beautiful flyers, soaring 

 in the air for hours at a time without flapping their 

 wings. When rising from the ground, however, or 

 starting from a tree, they flap heavily several times 

 in order to gain momentum for flight, but once on 

 the wing they rise and fall without perceptible motion 

 of the wings. Owing to the rather flimsy character 

 of the feathers, the Turkey Buzzard has a wobbly or 

 teetering appearance when a puff of wind strikes it. 

 But this effect is of course more apparent tha;n real, 

 as by a single stroke of the wings the bird regains 

 its equilibrium and sails gracefully on in an undu- 

 lating course. Although living in the vicinity of 

 human habitations, it is always a shy and wary bird. 



In the far Southern States the Turkey Vulture's 

 reign is disputed by that of the Black Vulture, some- 

 times called Carrion Crow by the natives of that 

 region. In form it is somewhat similar, but is more 

 compact, and the feathers are richer and more glossy 

 in tone. The colour is a deep black, almost blue, and 

 slightly iridescent like that of the Crow. It is a 

 stronger flyer than the Turkey Vulture, the primaries 

 of the wings being much stiffer, and on occasions it 

 rises so high as to become a mere speck in the air, 

 wheeling in great circles over the region it inhabits. 

 It is more common in the Southern States than the 

 other species, and in the streets of Charleston, South 

 Carolina, may be seen in great numbers gathered 

 about the slaughter-houses and greedily devouring the 

 offal thrown out from them. Unlike the Turkey Viil- 

 ture, it is extremely tame, allowing itself to be closely 

 approached without taking alarm. 



