269 
BLACK VULTURE, OR CARRION-CROW. 
VULTUR JOTA. 
[Plate LXXV.— Fig. 2.] 
Vultur jota^ Gmel. Syst, 1,/). 247. — Molina, HisU Chili, 1, p. 185, Am* trans* — Zopilot, 
Clavicero,/^^?. Mex* 1, />. 47. Eng. trans. — Gallinazo, Ulloa, Voy. \,p. 52, Amster- 
dam ed. — Vultur atratus^ Bartram, p. 289. — Vautour du Brtsil, PI. enl. 187. — Vultur 
aura, B . — Lath. Ind. Om. p, 5. — Lc Vautour urubu, Vieil. Ois. de VAm, Sep, 1,/), 23, 
pi. 2. — Peale’s Museum, No. 13, 
THE habits of both the Vultures figured in this volume are 
singular. In the towns and villages of the southern states, particu- 
larly Charleston and Georgetown, South Carolina, and in Savannah, 
Georgia, these birds may be seen either sauntering about the streets ; 
sunning themselves on the roofs of the houses, and the fences \ or, 
if the weather be cold, cowering around the tops of the chimneys, 
to enjoy the benefit of the heat, which to them is a peculiar gratifi- 
cation. They are protected by a law ; and may be said to be 
completely domesticated, being as common as the poultry, and 
equally familiar. The inhabitants, generally, are disgusted with 
their filthy, voracious habits ; but notwithstanding, being viewed 
as contributive to the removal of the dead animal matter, which, 
if permitted to putrefy during the hot season, would render the at- 
mosphere impure, they have a respect paid them as scavengers, 
whose labours are subservient to the public good,. It sometimes 
happens that, after having gorged themselves, they vomit down the 
chimneys, which must be intolerably disgusting, and must provoke 
the ill will of those whose hospitality is thus requited. To obviate 
this evil, the chimney tops of some houses are furnished with rows 
of spikes, others are capped, or provided with some apparatus to 
hinder the birds from alighting upon them. 
3 Y 
VOL. IX. 
