NATURAL HISTORY. 219 



" On his bosom sat 



Two vultures, dimmer through his carle of fat 



Into his liver, with their crooked beaks." CHAPMAN. 



near Charleston, and skinned. The ground for a hundred yards around it was 

 black with cari ion crows ; many sat on the tops of sheds, fences, and houses 

 within sight ; sixty or eighty on the opposite side of a small run. I counted at 

 one time two hundred and thirty-seven, but I believe there were more, besides 

 several in the air over my head, and at a distance. I ventured cautiously within 

 thirty yards of the carcase, where three or four dogs and twenty or thirty vultures 

 were busy tearing and devouring. Seeing them take no notice I ventured nearer, 

 till I was within ten yards, and sat down on the bank. Still they paid little 

 attention to me. The dogs, being sometimes accidentally flapped with the wings of 

 the vultures, would growl and snap at them, which would occasion them to spring 

 up for a moment, but they immediately gathered in again. I remarked the vultures 

 frequently attack each other, fighting with their claws or heels, striking like a 

 cock, with open wings, and* fixing their claws in each others heads. The females, 

 and I believe the males likewise, made a hissing sound, with open mouth, exactly 

 resembling that produced by thrusting a red-hot poker into water, and frequently 

 a snuffling like a dog clearing his nostrils, as I suppose they were theirs. On 

 observing that they did not heed me I stole so close that my feet were within one 

 yard of the horse's legs, and again sat down. They all slid aloof a few feet ; but, 

 seeing me quiet, they soon returned as before. As they were often disturbed by 

 the dogs, I ordered the latter home ; my voice gave no alarm to the vultures. As 

 soon as the dogs departed, the vultures crowded in such numbers, that I counted at 

 one time thirty-seven on and around the carcase, with several within, so that 

 scarcely an inch of it was visible. Sometimes one would come out with a large 

 piece of the entrails, which in a moment was surrounded by several others, who 

 tore it in fragments, and it soon disappeared. They kept up the hissing 

 occasionally. Some of them, having their wholij legs and heads covered with 

 blood, presented a most savage aspect. Still, as the dogs advanced, I would order 

 them away, which seemed to gratify the vultures; and one would pursue another 

 to within a foot or two of the spot where I was sitting. Sometimes I observed 

 them stretching their neck along the ground, as if to press the food downwards." 



655. Why is the vulture a cowardly bird, while the eagle is full 

 of courage ? 



Because, while a character of fearlessness and daring are proper 

 and necessary for the eagle, whose instinct leads him to attack live, 

 and often large animals, it is in no way required in the case of the 

 vulture, contented as he is to feed upon carrion, and seldom 

 attacks his prey, until weakness or death has rendered it 

 unresisting. 



556. There is a variety of the vulture tribe to which these remarks do not strictly 

 apply. The bearded vulture (Gypcetus barbatua) partakes somewhat of the nature 



