124 THE VULTURE. 



Of what use to man is the Vulture ? 



The Vulture, although a most unclean, and voracious 

 bird, is still, in the hot countries where it lives, a very 

 useful inhabitant. It carries away, and devours, the 

 carcases of dead animals, which would otherwise make 

 the air unpleasant and sickly. Of all animals, this can 

 smell its prey at the greatest distance. 



The Vulture seems to hold the same rank among 

 birds that the hyena does among quadrupeds. In 

 Egypt, and other eastern countries, great flocks of 

 them are at all times seen about every city, where 

 they are of the greatest benefit to the inhabitants, by 

 carrying away all sorts of putrid animal matters. So 

 useful are they, on this account, that no person is 

 allowed to kill, or disturb them, under the penalty of 

 a fine ; and in consequence they become quite tame, 

 and gentle, hardly moving out of the way of persons 

 who walk the streets. 



At New Orleans, and other southern cities, these 

 birds are seen about the streets, in the same manner 

 as in Egypt, and there, also, no person is allowed to 

 injure, or disturb them. They are protected and 

 valued fbr the good they do in cleaning the streets. 



At Brazil, and other parts of South America, it is 

 pleasant to witness the art which these birds display 

 in destroying the eggs of the crocodile. In that coun- 

 try the crocodile is one of the most terrible of all ani- 

 mals. He grows to the enormous length of twenty- 

 five, or even thirty feet, and is so ferocious as to attack 

 and destroy any land animal that comes within his 

 reach. It is therefore a very happy circumstance, 

 and one in which the hand of an over-ruling Providence 



