SCENTING CARRION AT GREAT DISTANCES. 255 
eagle, if hungry, will chase him, force him to disgorge 
his food in a moment, and to leave it at his disposal. 
“ Many of those birds, accustomed by the privileges 
granted them by law, of remaining about the cities and 
villages in our Southern States, seldom leave them, 
and might almost be called a second set, differing 
widely in habits from those that reside constantly at a 
distance from these places. Accustomed to be fed, 
they are still more lazy ; their appearance exhibits all 
the nonchalance belonging to the garrisoned half-paid 
soldier. To move is for them a hardship ; and nothing 
but extreme hunger will make them fly down from 
the roof of the kitchen into the yard, or follow the 
vehicles employed in cleaning the streets from disagree- 
able substances, except where (at Natchez for instance) 
the number of these expecting parasites is so great, 
that all the refuse of the town, within their reach, is 
insufficient ; then they are seen following the scaven- 
gers’ carts, hopping, flying, and alighting all about it, 
amongst grunting hogs and snarling dogs, until the 
contents, having reached a place of destination outside 
the suburbs, are emptied, and swallowed by them. 
“ Whilst taking a view- of that city from her lower 
ancient fort, I have for several days seen exhibitions 
of this kind. 
<c I do not think that the vultures thus attached to the 
cities, are so much inclined to multiply as those more 
constantly resident in the forests, perceiving no diminu- 
tion of number during the breeding season, and having 
remarked, that many individuals known to me by 
particular marks made on them, and a special cast of 
countenance, were positively constant residents of the 
town. The Vultur aura is by no means so numerous 
as the Atratus . I have seldom seen more than twenty- 
five or thirty together ; where, on the contrary, the 
latter are frequently associated to the number of a 
hundred. 
“ The Vultur aura is a more retired bird in habits, 
and more inclined to feed on dead game, snakes, lizards, 
frogs, and the dead fish that frequently are found about 
