33 



The Bird 



western Mexico: "One of the most wonderful exhibitions 

 of bird-flight came to us to-day as we left the alkali plain 

 and rode among the mesquite scrub. A confused mass 

 of black appeared in the air which, as we advanced, re- 

 solved itself into hundreds of individual black specks. 



FIG. 264. Crested Screamers. 



The atmosphere was so deceptive that what at first seemed 

 to be a vast cloud of gnats close at hand, was soon seen 

 to be a multitude of birds, and when a quarter of a mile 

 away we knew them to be vultures. Three burros lay 

 dead upon the plain. This we knew yesterday, and here 

 were the scavengers. Never had we seen Vultures more 



