STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 53 



supposed to be thus deprived of its internal 

 substance, till it was examined more closely; 

 and then, literally speaking, it is found to con- 

 sist of nothing but skin and bone. It often 

 happens that an ox, returning home alone to his 

 stall from the plough, lies do\Yn by the way ; 

 and then, if the vultures perceive him, they fall 

 mth fury upon him and inevitably devour him. 

 They sometimes attack cattle when grazing in 

 the fields, and, to the number of a hundred or 

 more, make their onset all at once." 



They are most disgusting creatures. Their 

 sloth, filth, and voraciousness, almost exceed 

 credibility. In Brazil, where they are found in 

 great abundance, when they alight upon a car- 

 cass, which they have liberty to tear at their 

 ease, they so gorge themselves that they are 

 unable to fly, but keep hopping along when 

 they are pursued. At all times, they are slow 

 of flight, and unable readily to raise themselves 

 from the ground; but when they have over- 

 fed, they are utterly helpless. There are great 

 flocks of them in the neighborhood of Grand 

 Cairo, which no person is permitted to destroy. 

 The service they render the inhabitants is the 

 devouring all the carrion and filth of that great 

 city, which might otherwise tend very greatly 

 to corrupt the air. They are commonly seen 



5* 



