Catharista atrata 
Charleston 
1889. 
Jan . 28 . 
South Carolina. 
Ten about the luarket, raost of them perched on eaves of 
roofs, a few in street. When a scrap of meat was thrown out 
there was a general rush for it. Often a bird on some distant 
roof shooting dovm on set wings got to the spot and siezed the 
morsel before another onlv a few yards away in the street 
could hop to it. Frequently it was tahen and retaken and 
passed about araong several birds. A feint of a peolc or even 
a sudden plunge of one bird to’wards anofnei” v/as of tori enough 
to cause the threatened bird to drop Its prize and hop or fly 
avjay. Arrant cowards, eveidently, t'nese Vultures 1 
When a cur rushed in among them they, would all fl;j- in 
terror. The curs got most of the larger pieces in the end. 
Two Vultures had a protraot(?d fight.. One took a piece df meat 
av/ay from the other vrherj it was at once siezed cind gobbled by 
a third. The first two evidently lost their usually placid 
tempers at this. Sidling up to one another until their wings 
( folded ) touched they pressed or crowded hard against one an- 
other at intervals pecking rather timidly at each other's 
heads. Their efforts were chiefly confined to pushing, how- 
ever. Neither got much advantage. The fight lasted about 
five minutes and collected an interested ring of small boys - 
black gamins of the streets- just as a dog fight is s\ire to 
do 
