362 
The Carrion Crow. 
974. The Gathartes is one of the most numerous and yet at the same 
time one of the most useful birds in almost the Avhole of South America. 
It differs from eagles and remaining birds of prey, particularly in its 
external conformation, by its prominent eyes and less crooked talons, 
its bare warty head and neck, and by the thick feather-down with 
which the inner side of its wings is covered; its whole demeanour 
besides is far from expressing the pride and dignity of eagles and 
falcons. 
975. I have repeatedly seen the statement made that where there 
is a scarcity of carrion, the Gatharte's preys upon living snakes, lizards, 
birds, and even mammals. But as such a statement has never been 
confirmed throughout a practically four years’ residence in South 
America, during which I have had opportunities Often occupying hours, 
even a day at a time, for watching the bird singly or in whole crowds 
-surrounded bv numbers of lizards, birds, etc., the layman is quite 
justified in doubting the statement of the ornithologists. As a matter 
of fact, even when the curling columns of smoke of a burning savannah 
attract hundreds of eagles and other birds of prey to seize upon the 
lizards, snakes and smaller mammals escaping as quick as lightning 
from the unloosened element, the Gathartes, greediest of all the birds, 
will never be noticed among the band of brigands. 
976. The Gathartes is protected by law throughout almost the whole 
of South America, and in British Guiana a fine of $50 is inflicted upon 
anyone daring to kill one*; the reason is that the streets and yards 
cannot be kept cleared of dead and putrefying animal matter by any 
better sanitary police measures than by the greed of these birds. As 
a result of this universal protection they have become so bold, I might 
almost sav, tame, that every newcomer takes them for domestic 
animals when he sees them perched often half the day upon the houses, 
fences and trees in indolent repose with dependent wings which they will 
leisurely outspread during and immediately after rain. 
977. Were the Gathartes really to prey on living animals, the 
Negress, so apprehensive of her young poultry, would surely not let it 
roost quietly in the neighbourhood of her fowl-house; for with the 
approach of any other bird of prey, everybody, poultry as well as the 
crowd of black females, immediately gets into such a state of excitement 
and commotion as to scare away the daring thief with all their screams 
and uproar. 
978. As already stated, one will search in vain for a Gathartes 
amongst the crowds of birds of prey that swarm over a burning 
savannah ; it circles round the burnt-off patch only on the day after the 
fire, in often countless numbers, to consume the snakes, lizards, etc., 
overcome by the heat and moisture that have been despised by the 
others. I was myself at first deceived on several occasions, when, on 
watching a bird that in the distance I took to be a carrion crow, I saw 
* The Ordinance was repealed only some few years ago. (Ed.) 
