Finding a Turkey Buzzard’s Nest. 
BY C. S. BRIMLEY, RALEIGH, N. C. 
In the early morning of May 20, 1887, I 
started out to investigate a good-sized tract of 
woods which I had always looked upon as be- 
ing in all probability the favorite breeding 
grounds of warblers and all other birds; the 
land, however, being strictly -‘posted” and 
near to the owner’s house, I had never cared to 
collect there, not wanting to get into trouble 
with ray neighbors. Accordingly I left my 
gun at home, and only supplied myself with 
plenty of boxes, full of cotton, to receive the 
eggs I expected to get. 
Well, I traversed those woods east to west, 
from north to south, and I followed branches 
and peered into thickets, but I only found two 
old nests, and the scarcity of bird life was ! 
siiiiply appalling. At last, however, as I was' 
walking along a branch and had completely 
lost my bearings, and was wondering which 
way to got out of the place (as i was heartily 
sick of it), thei-e came a flapping of wings as 
some large bii'd flew uj) from the hillside on 
my right. 1 turned and caught a glimpse of 
a large black bird through the trees, which I at 
once recognized as a Turkey Buzzard (Cathar- 
tes aura). 
Ihiukiug it might possibly have a nest near 
by, I tui-ned my attention to the slope it had 
flown up from, and as I was looking about for a 
suitable situation for the nest, my glance fell 
on a good-sized pine log which had evidently 
lain there for sevei'al years. I immediately 
hui 1 ied thither, and a search soon revealed the 
desired nest (?) if a bare spot from which the 
bird had scratched awa}- the dead leaves and 
other rubbish, could be so called. Here, re- 
posing oil the b.are ground close to the fallen 
pine, lay the two large eggs, one handsomely 
marked with large distinct spots and splashes, 
on a clear white ground, the other dirty look- 
ing, with splashes, small spots, and dots 
which obscured the ground color. Hastily 
packing up the eggs, I retired from the nest, as 
it smelt too unsavory, and the murky odor of a 
Buzzaid is not pleasant. On leaving the place, 
I presently discovered the old bird on the lower 
limbs of a large pine some seventy feet from 
the ground, walking backwards and forwards, i 
drooping her wings and giving vent to a harsh I 
wheezy sound as if she was a confirmed asth- * 
matic. o.&o. Xm. Jnne. 1888 / 
A PhiladelphiaCcllection of Eggsof 
the RaptoreB. 
Cathartes 
sets of two. 
eggs. 
aura. Turkey Buzzard. 
Total: thirteen sots, 
d’hirteen 
twenty-six 
0-&0. XIV. Mar. 1889 p.4€ 
Oollection of Raptores Eggs. J.P.N. 
Turkey liuzzard. 2(5 
Unmarked Eggs of the Turkey Vul- 
ture. 
BY H. E. TAYLOR, ALAMEDA, CAL. 
In the pretty hills of the southwest part of 
Santa Clara Co., Cal., I took a set of eggs 
early in April which I regarded as unique, and 
from what I have read of the speies, I was cor- 
rect in that belief. 
The set was of the Turkey Vulture (Cat/iarte.? 
aura), two eggs, and both of them were im- 
maculate. All the eggs of this bird I have ever 
seen were both heavily and richly marked, 
which makes the peculiarity in this set strik- 
ingly odd. I am not prepared at this writing 
to make comparisons, but these white eggs 
seem to me much lai-ger than is usual. 
There is quite a marked difference also in the 
size of the two specimens. I found the eggs in 
a natural hollow in the side of an immense rock, 
about six feet from the ground. The hole ex- 
tended in about three and one half feet, and its 
walls were almost perfectly smooth. 
O.&O. XIII. Jul y . 1888 p .io.^. 
The Turkey Buzzard, tC athartes aura'i . This is a 
very common bird in southwestern Louisiana. It is a per- 
manent resident, but its nest is but sparingly found. Last 
year wlille surveying a line through the woods, near Ver- 
million River, we found a nest, if that may be called a nest, 
“which nest was none.” A large Red Oak had fallen, and 
become hollow, and one side gone— rotted away on the un- 
der side. The nest was on the ground under the shelter of 
this old tree, which made a dry place. 1 here were four 
young in the nest, about the size of a Bob White, ora 
little less. 1 hey were white as cotton, and showed little or 
no fear. 'I here was a loud odor pervading the place, and 
the ground was bare of all vegetation for some distance 
around, which seemed to have been killed by the strong 
excrement and offal of the birds. I did not observe any 
old birds about in the trees. 1 he nest was in a very loneiy 
place, and one seldom visited by man. 'there is something 
strange in the power the Turkey Buzzard possesses (in 
common with some other birds,) of soaring. I have 
watched them often soaring for an hour, perhaps, without 
the movement of a wing, and without any apparent descent 
toward the earth. '1 hey can even rise a little distance with- 
out moving the wings, but when they wish to rise much 
they Hop the wing. 1 have observed them when soaring 
very low, and quite near me. 'I'heir wings, tail and body 
are set at an angle like a kite; and they go right against 
the wind fora short distance. No explanation, I believe 
of this phenomenon has ever been ofl'ered, although the 
facts are admitted, I think. What mysterious power en- 
ables them to apparently set the law of gravity at deliance ? 
Is there some miktwioii force in motion which they bring 
into action ? W ho can answer ? The 'Turkey Buzzard, for 
tlie spread of its wing, is an exceedingly light bird. Can it 
be possible that the temperature of its body is such as to 
generate a suffloient amount of heat under its broad spread- 
ing pinions to sustain it in the air, on the principle of the 
hot air balloon ? Can it create an ascending column of hot 
air under itself, sutlicient to support its light body ? W ho 
will solve this problem ?— W. W. Edwards, A bbeville, La. 
O.&O. XV. Apr. 1890. p. 50 
