256 
OBSERVATIONS ON VULTURES 
the sand flats of rivers, and borders of the sea shore ^ 
more cleanly in its appearance; and, as you will see • 
the difference in the drawings in both species, a tie 3 *, 
and better formed bird. Its flight is also vastly sup<' r '.,_ 
in swiftness and elegance, needing but a few flaps J' 1 ‘jj 
large wings to raise it from the ground, after "'hi . , f 
will sail for miles, by merely turning either on one s' 
or the other, and using its tail so slowly, to alter ^ 
course, that a person looking at it, w hilst elev 3t f 
and sailing, would be inclined to compare it toa mad” 1 . 
fit to perform just a certain description of e volume . 
The noise made by the vultures through the air, as t'G 
glide obliquely towards the earth, is often as great 
that of our largest hawks, when falling on their p rf - 
but they never reach the ground in this manner, al"' 3 -^ 
checking when about a hundred yards high, and g 0 '^*, 
several rounds, to examine well the spot they are ah 3 
to alight on. The Vultur aura cannot bear cold wean 3 
well ; the few r who, during the heat of the sun 1 ” 1 J 
extend their excursions to the Middle, or No’.' , r ; 
States, generally all return at the approach of "i” ,c j 
and I believe also, that very few of these birds 1”“'^ 
eastward of the pine swamps of West Jersey. I j j 
are much attached to particular roosting trees, a” 1 ; 
know will come to them every night from a gfyjj 
distance. On alighting on these, each of them, an*”' 
for a choice of place, creates always a general dis 1 
bance ; and often, when quite dark, their hissing ”^' v , 
is heard, in token of this inclination for suprei” 3 ^ 
These roosting trees of the buzzards are general^' 
deep swamps, and mostly high, dead cypresses. 
quently, however, they roost with the carrion 
( Vultur atratus,) and then it is on the largest , 
timber of our fields, not unfrcquently close to [(l 
houses. Sometimes, also, this bird w ill roost cl” s ‘ ( 
the body of a thick leaved tree. In such posit 11)11 j,,- 
have killed several, when hunting wild turkey* r 
moonlight nights, and mistaking them for these 1® 
Lirds - ... ^ n ibi«> 
“ In Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, and Caro 1 
6 
