m 
A Few Facts about the Turkey 
Buzzard. 
During the last ‘two months I have been 
travelling through the Southern Atlantic 
States’; and being fortunate in having my 
own private car, I was better, able to learn 
, the following facts about the Turkey Buzzard. 
For fear some may think me negligent in 
not giving the Latin name of this bird, I will 
freely confess that my knowledge of Cfesar’s 
langua^ is confined to that gentleman’s first 
three books, and I do not think that the 
d’urkey Buzzard is mentioned therein. 
'J'he Buzzard is justly named the scaven- 
ger, and it was only a few years ago these 
birds ridded the Washington market of much 
of its garbage. 
The first noticeable characteristic is the 
flight. The wings are seldom flapped, the 
bird soaring for long intervals with scarcely 
any exertion. It often seemed as if it would 
fall sideways over on its back as it gracefully 
swayed one way and then another. As it 
swayed from side to side away up in the sky, 
it strongly reminded me of a ship rolling in 
j a heavy swell. Its powers for making head- 
way in a wind are not great, and it is com- 
pelled to beat one way and then another in 
order to make any progress. 1 once noticed 
one on a windy day crossing a small field, 
and where many other birds would have 
quickly vanished it took the Buzzard a long 
time to cover two hundred yards. It is 
forced to run some distance before being able 
to rise from the ground. On the ground it is 
extremely awkward. 
They are easy of approach when gorged, 
and hesitate to leave their food ; sometimes, 
however, I have been unable to get near 
them. I have seen many carcasses from 
which odors of all degrees emanated, but 
which had been left untouched by the Buz- 
zards ; this I cannot account for. When any 
offal is discovered by one of these birds, it 
soars high above, sinking gradually; their 
eyesight must be powerful, as hundreds will 
soon see the lucky one and gather around 
to partake. The eyes of any dead animal 
seem to be the favorite morsel, as they are 
always the first to be picked out. 
A. //. 117/ /Vc, 7/-. 
Chestnut June.1893 P.92 . 
5S6. The Se?ise of Smell hi Birds. By S. M. Harper. Ibid., XIX, No. 
lo, p. ly.;, March lo, 1S83. — Relate.s mainij' to the Turkev Buzzard. 
American ffield. 
a-Bdros Island, Bahamas 
Joim i. Northrop 
46 
mon on 
.fi'O'isij Vlll.Jaa, 1891. p. 7 (> 
Cat^jes aura Turkey Buzzard. ‘Crow.’— V ery c 
1 Andros, but more were seen on New Providence. ^ 
30 
