TURKEY VULTURE. 



103 



January. It was a female, in perfect plumage, excessively fat, 

 and weighed five pounds one ounce avoirdupois. On dissection, 

 it emitted a slight musky odor. 



The Vulture is included in the catalogue of those fowls de- 

 clared unclean and an abomination by the Levitical law, and 

 which the Israelites were interdicted eating:"^ We presume that 

 this prohibition was religiously observed, so far at least as it re- 

 lated to the Vulture, from whose flesh there arises such an unsa- 

 vory odor, that we question if all the sweetening processes ever 

 invented could render it palatable to a Jew, Pagan, or Christian. 



Since the above has been ready for the press we have seen 

 the History of the Expedition under the command of Lewis and 

 Clark, and find our conjecture with respect to the migration of 

 the Turkey-buzzard, verified, several of this species having been 

 observed at Brant Island, near the falls of the Columbia.! 



Leviticus, xi, 14. Deuteronomy, xiv, 13. 



f Hist, of the Exped. vol. ii, p. 233. 



