THE VUlTUttU. 49 



'. , ' 



Rapacity Insupportable oduur of the flesh. 



come at lambs, they show no mercy; and ser- 

 pents are their ordinary food. Albertus says, 

 they wound their prey with only two of their 

 talons, and carry it off with the others. They 

 are not by any means apprehensive of danger, 

 but will suffer themselves to be approached very 

 fcear, particularly when they are eating) without 

 discovering tke smallest signs of fear. 



The filth, idleness, and voraciousness of these 

 birds, almost exceed credibility. In the Brasils, 

 where they are found in great abundance, when 

 they light upon a carcase, which they have 

 liberty to tear at their ease, they continue to feed^ 

 till they are unable to fly, and if pursued, can 

 only attempt their escape by hopping along; but 

 when hard pressed, they get rid of their burthen; 

 by returning what they have eaten, and then fly 

 off with as much speed as possible ; though at all 

 times they are rather slow of flight. 



The flesh of these animals is inconceivably 

 etringy and nauseous ; yet there have been in- 

 stances of men, when pressed with hunger, en- 

 deavouring to eat it. It is in vain that, when 

 killed, the rump has been cut off; in vain the body 

 has been washed, and spices used to overpower 

 its prevailing odour; it still smells and tastes of 

 the carrion by which it was nourished, and sends 

 forth a most insupportable stench. These birds, 

 ms far as we have been able to discover, usually 

 lay two eggs at a time, and produce but once a 

 year. They make their nests in inaccessible 



YOL. in. NO. xvii. G 



