254 
OBSERVATIONS ON VULTURES 
with great force, slide through its impetuous current, 
and reassume, above it, their elegant movements. 
“ The power given to them by nature of discerning 
the approaching death of a wounded animal is truly 
remarkable. They will watch each movement of any 
individual thus assailed by misfortune, and follow it 
with keen perseverance, until the loss of life has 
rendered it their prey. A poor old emaciated horse or 
ox, the deer mired on the margin of the lake, where 
the timid animal has resorted to escape flies and mus- 
quitoes, so fatiguing in summer, is seen in distress with 
exultation by the buzzard. He immediately alights, 
and if the animal does not extricate itself, waits and 
gorges in peace on as much of the flesh as the nature 
of the spot will allow. They do more ; they often 
watch the young kid, the lamb, and the pig, issuing 
from the mother’s womb, and attack it with direful 
success ; yet, notwithstanding this, they frequently 
pass over a healthy horse, hog, or other animal, lying 
as if dead, basking in the sunshine, without even 
altering their course in the least. Judge, then, my 
dear sir, how well they must see. 
“ Opportunities of devouring young living animals 
are so very frequent among large plantations in this 
country, that to deny them would be ridiculous, 
although I have heard it attempted by European 
writers. 
“ During the terrifying inundations of the Mississippi, 
I have very frequently seen many of those birds alight 
on the dead floating bodies of animals, drowned by the 
water in the low lands, and washed by the current, 
gorging themselves at the expense of the squatter, who 
often loses the greater portion of his wandering flocks 
on such occasions. 
e£ Dastardly withal, and such cowards are they, that 
our smaller hawks can drive them off any place ; the 
little king bird proves, indeed, a tyrant, whenever he 
espies the large marauder sailing about the spot where 
his dearest mate is all intent on incubation ; and the 
