220 



THE REASON WHY : 



&quot; Ye dregs of baseness, vultures amongst men, 

 That tyre upon the hearts of generous spirits.&quot; 



BEAUMONT AND FLETCHEH. 



and character of the eagle. Its appearance is less unpleasing than that of the 

 other vultures. It is nicer in its food only eating offal when it can procure 

 nothing better. It is rather courageous ; but is less widely distributed than the 

 common vulture the scavengers of creation. The bearded vulture is limited to a 

 few countries. 



I 



657. Why are the head and neck of vultures denuded of 

 feathers ? 



Because, by this provision^ 

 these parts are prevented 

 from being rendered foul by 

 the carrion with which they 

 come in contact when the 

 vulture is glutting itself 

 with food. Instinct also 

 guides the vulture to fre 

 quently cleanse its plumage 



658. Wliy does the vulture, whose food is only met with upon the 

 ground, soar to such a height as to be lost to view ? 



The prey of this bird being offall, or carrion, it is of necessity 

 sparely and widely scattered. The high flight of the vulture, 

 joined with its wondrous powers of scent and vision, enable it 

 to take in a very wide extent of country, and the more readily to 

 obtain the object of its search. 



659. It rises higher and higher till its enormous bulk is lost to human view, but 

 though beyond the sphere of man s vision the telescopic eye of the bird is at 

 work. Th moment any animal sinks to earth in death, the distant vulture 

 detects it. When the hunter brings down some large quadruped beyond his 

 powers to remove, and leaves it to obtain assistance, on his return, however 

 speedy, he finds it surrounded with a band of vultures, where not one was to bo 

 quarter of an hour before. 



