The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-03-05

Inn than we can help. lie ISM pleas
ant subject. The poor fellow seems TO
be aware Of his own humble sphere
in feathered society. too, and his man
ne,-, are modest and deprecating. He
makes no noise in the world. HIS de-
meanor. whenever he walks abroad, is
shrinking and sad. as II he was con-
>cious of his own clumsy movements
ana tie disagreeable ideas his presence
surrests. But he is not altogether UNI
appreciated. depressing as he u.s. ana
az him may be said. with truth, that he
does no injury TO any living creature.
lie lives his harmless life and does ms
grewsome duty.
What more need be said of anybody?
Mankind may not love or admire Br'er
Blizzard. but they are forced to accord
him respect and protection. The man
who kills him breaks the law and Of
tends his fellow men.
But there are many interesting things
about this undertaken in feathers that
have never been described. probably
because the general tendency has al
WAYS been 10 let him alone. and OF all
Che larger birds of this country there
&c not one which is less intimately
known than this.
He can be seen on almost any day in
thr southern states. soaring high in the
blue sky or dashing slantwise in wind
and storm. majestic and graceful OBJ
lee. This is as near as most people
care to see him.
In his home life he is. il must be ac-
lnowlcdged. a mean and unpleasant
creature; and yet. even there. he y not
without interest TO the lover OF all
things which infinite wisdom has placed
upon the earth. Two species OF this
vulfure. improperly called buzzard in
hnbit the United States east of the
Rocky mountains. one Of which ranges
from New England to the Gulf of Mex
ico. and is famiiarly known as the tur-
kew buzzard. His scientific name is
rathartes Aura. and he is very dif-
fercnt individual from his humber
cousin. whose closer acquaintance we
nrc now making.
The turkey buzzard is somewhat
inryer bird than the black yulture, and
Is not black in color. but a mixture
81 black and reddish brown. the latter
being the prevailing color in his
plrmaCe. His bcak. feet and head
where the skin is bare. are Of bright
red color. and he is much less grotesquc-
" repulsi,e in appearance than the
black vulture of the south.
He also moves. when on the ground
with a sort of dignifed deliberatior
very different from the clumsy hopping
and "teetering" stride of his black
cousin. The latter-Catharista Atrafa
the scientists call him-is the common
scayenger of the far south. where M
becomes rs familiar almost rs the chick
ems in the small towns. when colo
weather or scarcity Of food drives hin
from the woods and fields to the haunt'
of men. He has absolutely no redeem
ing feature of personal appearance. Ex
cept when sailing high in air. he is a de
iected. wretched. hopeless and revolt
ing object His color is sooty black, ex
cept the tips of the wings. which are o
a dingy. grayish white. this color he
ing visible only when the wings arr
expanded His beak. head and bare
wrinkled neck are dull black. and hi
whole aspect and demeanor is ludic
rously appropriate to his CHASTITY call
ing.
lie is bird of the semi-tropics. an
can bnt i'll endure the degree OF col
which is often felt in the Gulf state
in January.
At such times he resorts to the towns
and can often be seen on the housetops
crouched close against n smoking chin
ney. where sometimes a half dozc
Will push and struggle together for tn
warmest place. When hunger presses
he VIII descend into the backyard an
walk about in his detected. clumsy wa,
dlsputing with the chickens for wha'
eve. scraps may be thrown out.
When he drops down from on hig
among these chickens. there 10
mighty flutter and CONSERVATION; b,
they soon learn to treat him with III
eontemptuo1s indifference TO which I