252 WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIRDS. 



mischief while the vulture's, which is first recurved below 

 and then in the vault only about comes up to that line, ex- 

 presses subversive viciousness in the alarming ravin for gold 

 exhibited by the Vulture-man. On the other hand, he sees 

 that as this line is only faintly broken at the brow, and 

 arched in the centre of the nose, as in the profile of the Eagle's 

 head and beak, it expresses that highest combination of the 

 intellectual and physical daring which we find in the mighty 

 Conquerors as in the head of Napoleon. 



While in the head of it may be a marshal, who was 

 comparatively the mere executive soldier the man of head- 

 long action we have the arch more decided retaining all 

 the dignity of the Eagle, but with something of the vulture's 

 bloody thirst, indicated in the prolongation of the vault. 



Thus he sees that while the vaulting line indicates vault- 

 ing energies, the purpose and direction of these energies is 

 either ignoble, about in proportion as the line approximates 

 that of the baser birds, or fierce as it approaches that of the 

 Eagle. 



The rise of the arch in the Eagle's beak is very slight for 

 some distance from the base, like that of Napoleon's nose 

 then the hook is remarkably sudden, almost square. As it 

 is simply in the higher lines of profile those indicating its 

 approach to a square that these resemblances can be indi- 

 cated that between Napoleon and the Eagle ceases at the 

 plane of the nose, to re-commence in the mouth, which is 

 brought out with a corresponding expression of strength in 

 the chin, almost square to the line of the brow and nose. 

 Thus we have the tower-like weight of brain lifted above the 

 granite-seamed mouth, and moveless base of will in the pow- 

 erful lower jaw. 



The marshal is the man to swoop in relentless fierceness 

 down upon the prey the Eagle wing and eye has found ; there- 

 fore the Eagle and the Vulture are combined in his profile. 

 The Imperial Conqueror knew this well and for this reason 

 he was accustomed to say that for men of vast energies in 



