THE EAGLE. 



103 



mained as if floating on a raft, and then spreading out his 

 wide wings, he made use of them as sails, and was driven by 

 the wind towards the shore. On landing, their first object 

 is to disengage their claws by eating the flesh in which they 

 are buried, but before the Erne, of which we are speaking, 

 could effect this, some lookers-on rushed in, and took him 

 alive. 



The Vulture, too, floats on a prey of a very different 

 description. In the rivers of the East, says a traveller,* one 

 is constantly shocked with the sight of a floating corpse, 



Vulture floating on a Corpse. 



with a vulture perched upon it, and expanding its wings to 

 cause it to land, that it may devour its horrid meal in leisure. 

 From what has been said, it will be readily believed that 

 they are most voracious in their appetites. These large fish- 

 eaters have been known to consume a bucket-full a day; and, 



* Transatlantic Sketches, vol. ii. 



