THREE GREAT BIRDS 195 



of the whole world. Taking into considera- 

 tion the fact that the species is almost ex- 

 tinct, it does not seem probable that this num- 

 ber will ever be increased to any great extent. 



General can be seen in the Park any day, 

 and is a most interesting bird to watch. His 

 favorite amusement seems to be playing with 

 a piece of stick or an old bone. He will look 

 at the bone with his head on one side, spread 

 out his large wings, pick up the bone, walk 

 a few steps with it and then career round and 

 round with outspread wings in the most 

 clumsy, solemn manner. He will generally trip 

 up on something, then he will seem to get 

 scared, put up his wings, drop the bone and 

 walk off, floundering about and lifting a foot 

 simultaneously with each wing in a curiously 

 amusing manner. 



After waiting awhile, he will stumble back 

 to the bone again, pick it up and do the same 

 thing over and over again. I watched him for 

 about an hour one afternoon, and how much 

 longer he would have kept it up, I cannot say, 

 if another vulture, with a coolly indifferent 



