Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1904-09-08
STORY OF A VULTURE |
NATURALIST TRIES HARD TO
LOSE A TURKEY BUZZARD.
Had Tasted the Refnements Of Civ
ilized Life and Refused to Go
Back to It's Old Haupts
and Ways.

remember Isaac" the young turkey
vulture which l brought from the
south about year ago, and whic.
weathered the winter at my former
home in Massachusetts. When l was
about TO move to Newport, N. H., de-
cided to liberate q number Of the ami
mails which had in captivity, and
whose behavior did not intend tc
study any furthtr. Isaac was one Of
| these, but as knew that he was TAME
enough to become a victim Of the first
gunner who choose to slaughter him.
thought l would take him with me to
a wilder country, where his chance for
life would be better. So ! Grated him
and sent him along by express. Now,
Isaac was never a very good-natured
bird under any circumstances, and
moving by express was an institution
which did not meet with his approval
In the least degree. The local express
man understood this when he felt his
hand nipped as by q pair Of pincerS,
and looked down to see Isaac's bill
gripping him through the bars OF the
crate. With eyes flashing angrily. the
buzzard twisted his head from side to
side, In an endeavor to bite out the
piece, and the man dropped the crate
and sucked his hand while the crate
and its contents turned several kinds
of somesaults down a long rocky hill.
After his arrival here Isaac was kept
tethered BY a long string to a perch
on the edge of some woods. near the
houst, and after he had become some
what used to the place. took the
strap from his leg and away he flew.
He sailed around for a few minutes
and then. dropping down. alighted on
our barn, where he preened his fea-
Tiers as calmly as though 1t were
nothing new for him to be at liberty.
Then off he went to farm house about
half mile away, where he stayed for
q few days, eating fish-heads and 9th
err refuse that was thrown to him, and
then he disappeared, and was afraid
he had gone the way Of all flesh. Then
came a telephone message to the ef-
feet that large bird. doubtless a
very valuable one" said to belong to
me, was stopping at farm house
about five miles away. and that II !
wanted him l had better send for him
soon. rs two gunners had already fired
at him, installing him for hen-hawk
I did not want the bird, but did no.
wish him to be shot, so walked over
to see what could be done.
was met at the door by the farm
ers wife. Upon asking for Isaac" l
learned that he was probably in the
chicken coop eating the fresh eggs;
he had eaten nearly all the fresh eggs
for a week past, she said. The dam
age? Nothing. They had been interest
ed in watching the bird and in letting
him take whatever he facied, but.
since I had come for him, why, they
would not be at all sorry to see him
depart.
We found Isaac" in the barn-yard,
under a cart-shed in the shade, look
ing very we'll fed and contented. He
allowed me to catch him, and putting
him into a sack l carried him home.
and let him go in the fields near the
house. Here food and water were
placed for him. and he remained for
several days. He might have been
there yet had not some tourists with
a toy camera insisted in taking pic
ture of the "eagle," chasing the bird
from rock to fence-post and from
fence-post to tree, and Isaac" became
thoroughly Disguised and few clean
away.
did not see him for several days af-
ter that, but one morning last week !
walked down to a camp in the woods
not far from here, and there stood the
buzzard, on the porch. He had arrived
very hungry, I was told, but for two
days had steadily refused ginger-snaps,
at which / was not very much sur
prised. Then. one evening, as some
meat was thrown out to the dog, the
vulture had pounced upon 1t with sucn
emphasis as to make 1t evident that
ginger-snaps we're not what he had
been looking for. After that. they told
me, the bird had haunted the camp.
and could not be driven away. He
stole the dogs food. drove the little
boy into the house when he went ou:
TO play. and that very morning he had
made a determined attempt to sam
pie" the baby. After that he had been
"swatted" with the broom, but, as /
could see for myself. there he was
again.
Altogether I have grave fears for
Isaacs health. II he can control him
self until cool weather, and then jour
ney to the south, where vultures are
appreciated. all may yet go well with
him; but If, as I fear. he continues 10
devote his life to stealing fresh eggs
and chasing children. his shrift Is
likely to be short. Some sturdy far
mer, who thinks more of eggs and
children than Of turkey buzzards. will
probably take down a gun and send
Isaac by wireless to his long last
home.