AUDUBON AND BOONE. 127 



my gun before me, amid burs and mud-holes, until I reached 

 the distance of about seventy-five yards from it, when I 

 stopped to observe its attitudes. The bird did not notice 

 me ; he stood on a lump of flesh, tearing it to pieces, in the 

 manner of a Vulture, until he had nearly swallowed the 

 whole. Being now less occupied, he spied me, erected the 

 feathers of his neck, and, starting up, flew away, carrying 

 the remainder of his prey in his talons. I shot a second 

 time, and probably touched him ; for he dropped his burden, 

 and made off in a direct course across the St. Sebastian river, 

 with alternate sailings and flappings, somewhat in the manner 

 of a Vulture, but more gracefully. He never uttered a cry, 

 and I followed him wistfully with my eyes until he was quite 

 out of sight. 



The following day the bird returned, and was again among 

 the Vultures, but at some distance from the carcase, the birds 

 having been kept off by the dogs. I approached by the ditch, 

 saw it very well, and watched its movements, until it arose, 

 when once more I shot, but without effect. It sailed off in 

 large circles, gliding in a very elegant manner, and now and 

 then diving downwards and rising again. 



Two days elapsed before it returned. Being apprised by 

 a friend of this desired event, instead of going after it myself, 

 I dispatched my assistant, who returned with it in little more 

 than half an hour. I immediately began my drawing of it. 

 The weather was sultry, the thermometer being at 89.; 

 and, to my surprise, the vivid tints of the plumage were 

 fading much faster than* I had ever seen them in like cir- 

 cumstances, insomuch that Dr. Bell of Dublin, who saw it 

 when fresh, and also when I was finishing the drawing twenty- 

 four hours after, said he could scarcely believe it to be the 

 same bird. How often have I thought of the changes which 

 I have seen effected in the colors of the bill, legs, eyes, and 

 even the plumage of birds, when looking on imitations which 

 I was aware were taken from stuffed specimens, and which I 



