114 
BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
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pair breeding in the nest of a Green Heron, which had been deserted by 
the original possessors. On another occasion, a nest was found built in 
that of a Crow Blackbird. 
Doves also nest sometimes on the ground. Mr. Frank R. Diffenderffer, 
associate editor of New Era, of Lancaster city, and Prof. H. Justin Roddy, 
also of Lancaster county, both inform me they have repeatedly found 
them breeding on the ground. Doves seldom feed on insects but sub¬ 
sist almost exclusively on cereals, small seeds of different plants, and, 
occasionally, it is said, on various wild berries. The food materials of 
eleven doves which I have examined are as follows: 
No. 
Date. 
Locality. 
Food-Materials. 
1 
Sept. 11, 1880. 
East Bradford, Pa. 
Grass seeds. 
2 
Oct. 15, 1880. 
East Bradford. Pa. 
Small seeds. 
3 
Feb. 16. 1880. 
Pocopson. Pa. 
Seeds and other vegetable matter. 
4 
March 6. 1880. 
Chester county. Pa. 
Seeds of Amaranthaceaz. 
5 
March 20. 1882. 
Chester county. Pa. 
Wheat and small black seeds. 
6 
April 5, 1882. 
Chester county. Pa. 
Corn and small seeds. 
7 
May 7. 1883. 
West Goshen. Pa.,. 
Wheat and corn. 
8 
May 25. 1883. 
West Goshen, Pa. 
Small seeds. 
9 
June 31. 1883. 
West Goshen. Pa.,. 
Wheat. 
10 
Nov. 29. '1886. 
North Brook, Pa. 
Apple seeds and seeds of grasses. 
11 
Nov. 29. 1886. 
North Brook. Pa. 
Apple seeds and seeds of grasses. 
Order RAPTORES. Birds of Prey. 
Suborder SARCORHAMPHI. Vultures. 
Family CATHARTID.®. American Vultures. 
THE VULTURES. 
These cowardly, ignoble, gluttonous and partly gregarious birds are found in 
abundance in the warmer countries, where, frequently, they are protected by law, 
because of their value as scavengers. Vultures subsist largely on carrion. They 
often collect in considerable numbers around the body of a defunct horse, cow, steer 
or other large sized animal, and gorge themselves until they are scarcely able to fly. 
When, however, their uncleanily repast is finished they usually perch on trees, 
rocks, fences, etc., where they remain in a quiet and sleepy attitude, with the wings 
drooping. Frequently if these birds are wounded, or suddenly frightened when 
feeding, and sometimes when their nests or young are molested, they eject the foetid 
contents of the crop. Two species of the family are mentioned as occurring in Penn¬ 
sylvania ; one, the Turkey Buzzard as it is commonly called, is rather numerous in 
some parts of the state, where it also often is resident. The other species—Black 
Vulture —is found here only as a straggler trom the south. 
