876 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS 
Pacific, and somewhat northward ; abundant in more southern 
portions ; resident as far north as New Jersey. Nests on the 
ground, or near it, in hollow stumps and logs, generally breed- 
ing in communities; eggs commonly two, creamy white, 
blotched and speckled, 221%.” Coues. The Carrion “ Crow,” 
or Black Vulture, has the wings paler beneath, and the hind- 
head feathered; “head dusky; bill and feet grayish-yellow. 
* * * ; tail square. Smaller than aura, in linear dimensions, 
but a heavier bird; length about 2 feet; wing 14; tail 3. The 
difference in size and shape between this species and aura is 
strikingly displayed when the birds are flying together, as con- 
stantly occurs'in the Southern States; there is also a radical 
difference in the mode of flight, this species never sailing for 
any distance without flapping the wings. Nesting the same: 
eggs similar, but larger, or at any rate more elongate; 3} X 2. 
Chiefly South Atlantic and Gulf States, there very numerous, 
far outnumbering the tuikey buzzard, and semi-domesticated 
in the towns; N. regularly to North Carolina, thence strag- 
gling even to Massachusetts and Maine ;” etc. (Coues.) 
As the vultures are of wholly accidental occurrence in New 
England, and as their more characteristic habits are well 
known, I shall not here present their biographies, which I 
should be obliged to borrow from other writers. Some remarks 
as to their prominent peculiarities have already been presented 
among those on the birds of prey, at the beginning of this 
chapter. 
