194 Birds. 



THE VULTUEE. ( Vultur Monachus.) 



THE first rank in the description of birds has been given 

 to the eagle, not on account of its size, but because it is 

 nobler in its habits and more delicate in its appetites. 

 But it belongs to the falcon tribe, and should be placed 

 after the Vultures. The eagle, unless pressed by famine, 

 will not stoop to carrion ; and generally devours only 

 what he has earned by his own pursuit. The Vulture, 

 on the contrary, is disgustingly voracious ; and seldom 

 attacks living animals when it can be supplied with 

 dead. The eagle meets and singly opposes his enemy : 

 the Vulture, if he expects resistance, calls in the aid of 

 its kind, and overpowers its prey by combination. Putre- 

 faction, instead of deterring, only serves to allure it. 

 The Vulture seems among birds what the jackal and 

 hyaana are among quadrupeds, who prey upon carcases, 

 and root up the dead. 



Vultures may be easily distinguished from eagles by 

 the nakedness of their heads and necks, which are with- 

 out feathers, and only covered with a very slight down, 

 or a few scattered hairs; their eyes are more promi- 

 nent ; those of the eagle being buried more in the socket, 

 and shaded by an overhanging eyebrow. Their claws 

 are shorter and less hooked. The inside of the wing is 

 covered with a thick down, which is different in them 

 from all other birds of prey. Their attitude is not so 

 upright as that of the eagle, and their flight is more diffi- 

 cult and heavy. 



In this description we may include the Golden, the 

 Ash-coloured, and the Brown Vulture, which are inhabi- 

 tants of Europe ; the Spotted and the Black Vulture of 

 Egypt ; the Bearded Vulture, the Brazilian Vulture and 

 the King of the Vultures, of South America. They all 

 agree in their nature, being equally indolent, rapacious, 

 and unclean. The Condor also belongs to the Vulture 

 tribe. 



