Catharlsta atrata 
Charleston 
1839. 
Jan. 25. 
, South Carolina. 
Counted 33 about the market this forenoon, about half in 
the street, the others sitting on the edges of the flat roofed 
buildings bordering it. The former Tsrere colleoted about the 
meat stalls watching for stray scraps and offal every now acid 
then thrown out by the stall tenders. A few small curs were 
with the "Buzzards" axid bullied then freely alv/ays getting the 
meat when the birds v/ere not too civxick for them. The Buzzards 
were fully as taiae as street pigeons dodging the horses and 
foot passengers in the same adroit way. They often rose and 
fle’w some distance, however, when a dog dashed in aiaong them. 
Position when still usually rather crouching the 
the wings loosely folded. Gait a slinl'.ing walk, 
.ii-^ck drawn 
tiio steps 
in 
long, the fore part of the body lowered, the hind ^art raised 
at each step. When in a hurry they took long jimips flapping 
their wings to assist their progress. On the roofs many sat 
with wings opened to fullest extent facing the breeze. Some 
sat oh the tops of the chiraneys. 
