334 SHAKESPEARE'S [VULTURE. 



when the Viper was come, and could not climb up to 

 utter her malice upon the man, she emptied the same upon 

 the tree, and by and by after, the man in the tree died, 

 by the savour and secret operation of the same. If a man 

 chance to tread upon the reins of a Viper unawares, it 

 paineth him more than any venom, for it spreadeth itself 

 over all the body incurably ; and the mushrooms or toad- 

 stools which grow near the dens and lodgings of Vipers 

 are also found to be venomous. The eating of Vipers is 

 an admirable remedy against leprosy. [He narrates several 

 instances, in one of which a leprous woman was not only 

 cured of her leprosy, but " soon after conceived a man- 

 child, having been barren before the space of 40 years."] 

 The skin of the Viper beaten to powder and laid upon the 

 places where the hair is fallen, it doth wonderfully restore 

 hair again. 7lpse//, "History of Serpents," pp. 800-10. 



IT would infect the genius of the air 

 With mists contagious (as if compos'd 

 Of Viper-steam). 



Glapthorne, "The Hollander," iii. 1. 



V. Serpent. 

 Vulture. 



MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, i. 3, 94. 



THE Vulture hath that name of slow flight, for of the 

 plenteousness of much flesh, he lacketh swiftness of flight. 

 And some men tell that she conceiveth and is conceived, 

 and gendereth and is gendered without joining of treading ; 

 and they tell that they live an hundred years. This bird 

 is cruel about his own birds, as the kite is ; and if she 

 seeth her birds too fat, she beateth them with her feet and 

 bill to make them lean. Also in this bird the wit of 

 smelling is best ; and therefore by smelling he savoureth 

 carrions that be far from him, that is beyond the sea ; and 

 againward [i.e., vice versa]. And the Vulture fighteth with 

 the gentle falcon, and flee'th about him, and when he hath 

 overcome him he dieth. And he hunteth from mid-day to 

 night ; and resteth still from the sun-rising to that time. 

 And when he ageth, his over bill waxeth long and crooked 

 over the nether, and dieth at the last for hunger. Also 



