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138 BLACK VULTURE. 
within sight; sixty or eighty on the opposite side of a small 
run. I counted at one time two hundred and thirty-seven, but 
I believe there were more, besides several in 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 I 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 im- 
mediately gathered in again. I remarked the vultures fre- 
quently 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, I believe, the males 
likewise, made a hissing sound, with open mouth, exactly re- 
sembling that produced by thrusting a red-hot poker into 
water ; and frequently a snuffling, like a dog clearing his nos- 
trils, as 1 suppose they were theirs. On observing 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 departed, the vultures crowded in such num- 
bers, 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 bleod, 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 observed them stretching 
