272 
BLACK VULTURE. 
again sat down. They all slid aloof a few feet ; but seeing me 
quiet, they soon returned as before. As they were often disturbed 
by the dogs, I ordered the latter home : my voice gave no alarm 
to the Vultures. As soon as the dogs departed, the Vultures 
crowded in such numbers, that I counted at one time thirty-seven 
on and around the carcass, with several within ; so that scarcely 
an inch of it was visible. Sometimes one would come out with a 
large piece of the entrails, which in a moment was surrounded by 
several others, who tore it in fragments, and it soon disappeared. 
They kept up the hissing occasionally. Some of them having 
their whole legs and heads covered with blood, pi’esented a most 
savage aspect. Still as the dogs advanced I would order them 
away, which seemed to gratify the Vultures ; and one would pur- 
sue another to within a foot or two of the spot where I was sitting. 
Sometimes I observed them stretching their necks along the ground, 
as if to press the food downwards.^' 
The Carrion-crow is seldom found, on the Atlantic, to the 
northward of Newbern, North Carolina, but inhabits, as far as we 
can ascertain, the whole southern continent. Don Ulloa, in taking 
notice of the birds of Carthagena, gives an account of a Vulture, 
which we shall quote, in order to establish the opinion, advanced 
in the preceding history, that it is the present species. We shall 
afterwards subjoin other testimony in confirmation of this opinion. 
With respect to the marvellous tale of their attacking the cattle in 
the pastures, it is too improbable to merit a serious refutation ; and 
it is to be regretted that Vieillot should have perpetuated this slan- 
der, which is so absurd that we wonder how it could have escaped 
his animadversion. 
“ It would be too great an undertaking to describe, all the 
extraordinary birds that inhabit this country ^ but I cannot refrain 
from taking notice of that to which they give the name of Gallinazo, 
from the resemblance it has to the Turkey-hen. This bird is of 
the size of a Pea-hen, but its head and neck are something larger. 
