They elevate themselv&|||o sucfpronderful heights, that as th |p
describe circle after cifcle, they gradually appear n%larger th^an a
swallow, next a mere specl^ijpsible, the^isappeffrfhg altówRffèr
from, the limited powerlof human-yhsion^Net,« however, beyond
their own, for as the^fcover over'%e cou'nlrybeneath, théy can
discover a carcass or carrion a n y w h e r e \pide di&Mct.
In the East they are well known t<M follow Aefoaralans; in Africa
and South America they accompanyand waft^npon the hmffi-’s
stepSi f’^ ^ b e a s t is flayed andubandoneaBallfop- to each oth^r
with shrilffbut resounding\oic^they pgfar (»^iMipnnj^he cafer««*
and in a sHc&t time,%9 dexterously do they i^ ia g e tl^ o p e j^ o n ,
nothing remain^but the naked skeleton. If the skin shoufdibe^
on the prey the^discoveïfjm e n t r a n t is soommade t h r d iiS
^tl|e belly, byj^hichthey e x tr a * al|,but the bontes:, which are Ifcft*
well c oV ^p by Jlie skin as hardly to shovofthat they haveJ
been at worjk Ihere. Should a siekly o r or smaller animal h J
accidentally exposed defenceless, "Or from any eaus&^m^ile
resist, the ^Ifltures fall upon and devour him without mercy In
the same manner. Thus in- the mountainous disll^ljfoffchot
countries, in which they are very numerous,, the hunter who wffiies
to sec#e his game dares not quit an a|ffiiahhe may have killed, for
fear of its immediately becoming th * r prey. Le Vaillant, while
irt Africa, met with frequent losses through thé rapaeity of t&bse •
parasites, which, immediately notified by the callinf of^& C rows,
flocked around in multitudes, and speedily devoured large jlhimals
that Be had killed, depri^ng him apt only of his JÊÊÊËÊL: but
of maby a valuable sp e c ir^ p in ten d ^ a s a contribution^«) Science.
They may be frequently segh, tearing a carcass in CdmpamMrith
dog? dr other ravenous^ qu®rupeds, such assbciations prd^Ming
no quarrel,, however lean and hungry both may be. Harmony
always subsists, so long as they have plenty, am o in ^ re atU re^ f
dispositions so congenial. But the Eagle drives them to a distance
tjill heissaWsfied, andonly permits ffem tof enjoy the fragments
of i^he prey die hasj: conquered.' With the same expectation of
feeding upon the leavings, they Mte^d upo-n the ferocious quad,
rupees u f $he,*Cat kind, and may thug iödieaae the vi|imty of these
dangerous beasjts.{< /That it is> bowardie'e which prevents them
from attacking animals capable of making any defence is evident.
T1» iijnate cruelty of their disposition is ©ften manifested towards
tie helpless. «Torn deserted, lamb^thpy show a!® myroy,, and living
serpents and what|frer other .minor animals they Jan i©verpower
aueitbeir usual food. They aaMalso. it is<said, ext^eïnqly.fond ef
mroludiles^ and obtain which they jfcep.; watch
jwseen in the adjacent forest while the female, is baying and us
jpon as- she is gone descend, and remnving^hhfe ^and where they
are buried, greedily deyouipihem;;
• The Vultures are mo^tly.found in Wafm climates, ulth#ughs|iy
no piWans afraid .of a®ldi ('as -they prefer
mountains ; those which inhabit in the ruorthnr&tdraugs southward
in winte^n the northern hemisphere!/ | T'h#jr favourite• aibades are
roc^^ana caverns among broken- precipices, where they retire
to sfeëp and to digèèt th.^ B,meals when êwerfetewhieh happens as
often as an opportunityoiferS : in such retreats (they may he often
observed in great numbers .together,. eUjayihg the exhilirating
air of the morning. Their nest .is made With Hai-dly any preparation
on inaccessible eliffs or other 'plaoess where thuy-eaUfseldóm'’
be foUndyby man. ‘They reBhiej.jgeneraJily where they ■ breed,.
seldom coming , down int®;., the pIMns>u except when frost and
snow have driven all living thingi from the heights: they«
arajjthen'compelled to brave danger in pursuit of food. The
Yultures .generally lay but two C g ^ at a times sometimes three
or four, especially the N«rthi American species ; and are faithfully
monogamous. In their iMde df supplying their young with food,
there is a striking difference' between them and. other rapacious
VQjffe iv.—D