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 The Habits of the Black Vulture in Nicaragua 167 spread, were rapidly ducking their heads to her like well-trained servants. She paid little attention, and soon turned her back on them. They persisted in their attentions till she finally got disgusted and flew away, with her suitors in close pursuit. The Vulture doesn't seem to learn by experience. Over and over again they went through, what was to me, a most ludicrous farce. A number of pigs lived on the plantation, picking up th k living along with the Vultures, with whom they seemed quite friendly. The largest of these was of fancy breed, imported from the States, where he had been christened "Mark Hanna." Mark had seen his best days and was now so old and fat that the effort of waddling from one place to another made him breathe pretty hard. He liked to spend as much time as possible sleeping in the midst of a puddle. While he was thus sleeping, some hungry, keen-eyed Vulture, circling in mid-air, was sure to see him. Immediately he would swoop to earth, and, almost before he had landed, a dozen others would have caught the idea and comedown, too. There they would stand in a circle about the sleeping pig and watch him. He didn't move. Surely he was dead, and it was their plain duty to eat him. Finally the boldest of the Vultures would draw nearer, step up on his back and cautiously pull a bristle. As nothing happened at this, the rest would be encouraged and three or four would begin pulling at once. This would be too much for Mark, who would voice his dis- pleasure with an angry grunt. The startled Vultures would retire to wonder what had happened, while Mark went peacefully off to sleep again. Seeing this, the Vultures would draw near again, apparently holding a consultation, like doctors, deciding how long they would give him to die. When the time was up they would try again, and so on until poor Mark had to make the terrible effort of getting up and waddling to another puddle in order to sleep in peace. This greatly disconcerted the poor, hungry Vultures, and I fear I sympathized with them rather than with Mark.