Fort Pierce news. (Fort Pierce, Fla.) 190?-1920, 1908-10-02
ABOUT THE BLACK VULTURE
The Buzzard Not Only a Nuisance
But Danger.

The black yulture being ubiquitous
in Florida needs no long description.
Everybody knows him and his kinsman
the turkey vulture, both masquerading
under the false title of buzzald. 1t is
in no spirit Of eulogy that l write, but
rather in the spirit OF Mark Antony,
would come to bury if possible rather
than to praise,
1t is not my intention to make a per-
sonal attack on either the character or
personal appearance of the black vul-
ture, beyond. saying that his looks would
convict him in court Of skunks, be-
fore jury of ghouls presided over by
a polecat; that his odor would disquali.
fly him from a seat in a convention Of
sewer gases and his habits would con-
denim him to the disgust of commit
tee Of corpse-eating hyenas. The high
est encomium that could be pronounced
upon him would leave him a thousand
degrees below a scavenger, and the SUI
premest eXaitation to which he can be
elevated would find him reeklng with
the odors Of decomposed cur,
So it is not upon the vulture per Sc
that these remarks are made, but
against him as a carrier Of germs OF
divers diseases. AS a consumer Of de-
composed animals the vutue has ac-
CURED the protection of the law, and
under The title of public scayenger has
sought unmolested his filthy banquets.
But in this age OF microbe discoveries
when glass of milk is looked upon
with suspicion, a.draught Of water with
distrusr, house fly with opprobrium
and mosquito with condemnation de-
handing death penalty it seems to
me :here is possibly some danger in the
presence of the vulture
The vulture comes sagging in from
the putrid remains of carcass and
lighting on chimney top, his nostrils
dripping with the putrifaction exuding
from his gorged NAV, and preening
his wings that have tapped and fought
with his kind over the recent meal
scatters the microbes in every direc-
ton and sometimes voiding in horrible
vomitings his part of the feast down
the chimney, Or with many others he
comes to put his scaly claws so recently
clutching the remains of a cur or hog
or cowdown upon the roof of the house
to while away the hours of digestion in
malodorous contemplation and post
prandial enjoyment. OF course, where
people use rainwater caught from the
roof, little thing like vultures roost-
ing on the house won't hurt.
Again, when the children are called
in from recess the ground of the school
yard is almost Immediately covered with
these vile birds, fighting and tapping
and spewing over the places where
the children eat their lunch. OF course,
4 napkin spread out on the ground
wouldn't be in any danger of collecting
4 few choice microbes to be carefully
folded up and carried home, or possibly
by the child as the lunch left
over from dinner is eaten in the after
loon or on the way home, or perhaps
eaten by the smaller children at home,
Who 90 to the basket to find what
Johnnie left from dinner.
The contents of slop cans and all
manner Of refuse becomes the natural
God of the vultures, and they can be
ound gathered around the garbage
Waiting for it to be carried Off
There are few vulture roosts in the
ity, though a most commendable effort
S being made to break them up. A wet
lay and huddled vultures sitting
round on the trees and houses and the
ain washing down germs and microbes
rom them to lie in damp places and
reed after their kind, is not cheer
ul picture, but one nevertheless con-
family presenting itself to the good
,eople Of Ocala.-C. @. Carroll in Ocala
star.