162 NATURAL HISTORY MISCELLANY. 
shrew mole, it finds its favorite food, such as earth-worms, grubs, etc. 
In procuring its food it makes extensive and numerous burrows, above 
unsightly and difficult to cultivate. 
Now there is a beautiful bird designed by nature to prevent the increase 
of these noxious animals from becoming excessive in places frequented 
by the mole. It is the woodcock (Scolopax minor), whose death is 
delayed until the 15th of August by a law of the State, after which time 
there will probably be a general attack made upon them with the gun. 
It is observable what a difference there is in the appearance, in some 
localities, occupied by the above mentioned animals. A friend told me à 
few days since that it was difficult to mow a piece of his land last year on 
account of the many piles of earth thrown up by the moles. This year 
the surface of his land is smooth, and I have passed several times this 
summer by the place and have frequently heard, or flushed the woodcock 
feeding there in the dusk of evening.— AUGUSTUS FOWLER, Danvers, 
August 14, 1870. 
TURKEY BUZZARD. — On page 875, current volume, J. L. B., in a para- 
graph on this bird, inquires **Can a Turkey Buzzard be deceived by his 
experiments by Mr. Audubon and Dr. Bachman, made nearly forty years 
since, as related by the former in his ** Ornithological Biography,” Vol. ii, 
age 33, should settle these questions. I think, then, that it may be 
safely assumed that both the Turkey Buzzard (Cathartes aura) and the 
Black Vulture (Cathartes Jova) are practically incapable of distinguishing 
odors, and select their food by the sense of sight alone; and also that 
they feed upon fresh, as readily as upon putrid, flesh. As the old error on 
this subject seems to be perpetuated no doubt toa considerable extent, 
and as that great work is rare, at least in private libraries, might not the 
whole, or at least a part of the paper to which I have referred, prove in- 
teresting to your readers? — J. D. Caton, Ottawa, Illinois, Aug. 22, 1870. 
Bucks. — Mr. H. H. Bromley, proprietor of the Chasm 
House near Keeseville, has given me an account of the spike horns that . 
is confirmatory of ** Adirondack's " statements, and also shows that the 
variety extends farther south in the Adirondack region than heretofore 
stated 
Mr. Bromley was for six years the landlord of the Hotel at Franklin 
Falls, located on the Saranac River, about thirty miles southeast of 
e and the region mentioned by “ Adirondack." When he first 
went into this region, eight years ago, he was told about the spike horned 
bucks which were them common and well known to all the hunters and 
trappers in the Saranac region. During his residence at Franklin Falls, 
