THE TURKEY -BUZZARD. 
25 
in which they roost, frequently to the number of five or six 
together, and then at night climbing up and noosing them. 
They are such heavy sleepers that this is not a difficult 
task. Lieutenant Maw saw the Condor’s quill used as a 
pen in the Cordillera. 
THE TURKEY-BUZZARD. (Jultur aura.) 
There are many species of Vultures distributed over the 
various parts of the world, chiefly in the warmer countries, 
where they are considered very serviceable in consuming 
the carcasses of dead animals, which would otherwise taint 
the air. The King Vulture, found in South America and 
Mexico, and the California Vulture, found on our western 
coast, are among the American species; but of these the 
most common, and therefore the most interesting, is the 
Turkey-Buzzard, which abounds in our Southern States and 
in the West Indies, where they are commonly protected for 
their services as scavengers of carrion. In the winter they 
generally seek out warmth and shelter, hovering often like 
grim and boding spectres in the suburbs, and on the roofs 
and chimneys of the houses around the cities of the South- 
ern States. 
Mr. Nuttall describes the Turkey-Buzzard as follows : 
The Turkey Vulture is about two and a half feet in 
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