TASTE OF CARNIVOROUS BIRDS. 157 



narrowly, and to defend the provisions with switches ; 

 but, notwithstanding, it would frequently seize some- 

 thing or other, and once purloined a whole boiled 

 fowl, which it swallowed in an instant. Its courage 

 is not equal to its voracity, for a child of eight or ten 

 years old soon puts it to flight with a switch, though 

 at first it seems to stand on its defence, by threat- 

 ening, with its enormous bill widely extended, and 

 roaring with a loud voice like a bear or tiger. It is 

 an enemy to small quadrupeds, as well as birds and 

 reptiles, and slily destroys fowls or chickens, though 

 it dares not attack a hen openly with her young. 

 Every thing is swallowed whole ; and so accommo- 

 dating is its throat, that not only an animal as big 

 as a cat is gulped down, but a shin of beef broken 

 asunder serves it but for two morsels. It is known 

 to swallow a leg of mutton of five or six pounds, a 

 hare, a small fox, &c. After a time the bones are 

 rejected from the stomach, which seems to be volun- 

 tary, for it has been known that an ounce or two of 

 emetic tartar given to one of these birds produced 

 no effect*." 



* Latham, Gen. Hist, of Birds, ix, 40-1, 



