40 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Favonrite food Habits, &c. 



pfodigions height, and have in the air the sailing 

 motions of the kite. Carrion and filth of almost 

 every description, seem to constitute their favour- 

 ite food ; and from the acuteness of their scent, 

 they can distinguish prey at an immense distance. 

 When a dead body of any size is thrown out, 

 they may be observed coming from all quarters, 

 each wheeling about in gradual descent till he 

 reaches the ground. 



In Carthagena, these birds may be seen sitting 

 on the roofs of the houses, or even stalking along 

 the streets : and they are even of great service 

 to the inhabitants; devouring that filth which 

 would otherwise, by its intolerable effluvium, 

 render the climate still more unwholesome than 

 it is. In some countries they are rendered even 

 of still greater importance to the inhabitants, by 

 destroying the eggs of the alligator, and thereby 

 checking the increase of that destructive animal. 

 They watch the female in the act of depositing 

 her eggs in the sand, and on her retiring into the 

 water, they pour down upon the place, dig up 

 the eggs, and greedily devour their contents. 

 When they find no food in the cities, they seek 

 for it among the cattle of the adjoining pastures, 

 If any animal be unfortunate enough to have a 

 sore on its back, they instantly alight on it, and 

 attack the part affected. The poor victim may 

 in vain attempt to free itself from the gripe of 

 their talons : even rolling on the ground is of no 



