128 THE VULTURE. 



stooping to the dead rat, the one from the north, the 

 other from the south, both seizing the object of attrac- 

 tion at the same moment. 



In the last instance, the three senses of smelling, see- 

 ing, and hearing, were comparatively equally coneerned, 

 though not under the influence of the usual appetite for 

 carrion food, as the object was a living, though wounded, 

 animal. A person having had his pastures much tres- 

 passed on by intrusive hogs, resorted to his gun to rid 

 himself of the annoyance. A pig which had been mor- 

 tally wounded, and had run squalling and trailing in 

 blood through the grass, had not gone far before it fell 

 in the agonies of death. And at the very moment the 

 animal was perceived to be unable to rise, three Vultures 

 at the same instant pounced down upon it, attracted, no 

 doubt, by the cries of the dying pig, and by the scent of 

 its reeking blood, which was also visible on the ground ; 

 and while it was yet struggling for life, began to tear 

 open its wounds and devour it. 



Some idea, indeed, may be formed of their voracity, 

 when we are assured that at one meal a Vulture con- 

 trived to devour the whole body, bones and all, of an 

 Albatross, the large sea-bird which we have already 

 described. 



The natives of South America avail themselves of the 

 gluttonous greediness of this bird to catch it. A dead 

 carcase of a cow or horse is laid out for a bait, on which 

 they gorge themselves to such a degree, that they be- 

 come quite drowsy and stupid. When in this plight, 

 they are approached by the Indians, who easily throw a 

 noose over them; on finding themselves prisoners they 

 are usually for a time sullen and shy: but this is not 

 always the case, as the following story will prove, related 

 by Captain Head, and told to him by one of his attend- 

 ants, a strong English miner from Cornwall, when ex- 

 ploring the mining districts of South America. 



The man, when riding along the plains, saw several 

 Condors, or largest sized Vultures (described in Table 



