THE VULTURE. 145 



ance very different from the bold fine Eagle, perched 

 on his pinnacle of a rock. 



They sit in a sort of moping, slouching manner, 

 with their heads buried within their shoulder-bones, 

 as if torpid, or roosting, many of them together, on 

 tall dead pines, or cypress trees, where, in the morn- 

 ing, they often continue for hours, with their wings, 

 measuring from eight to ten feet from tip to tip, 

 spread open, as some believe, that the air may blow 

 upon and purify their filthy bodies, though more 

 probably, that it may gradually dry up a portion 

 of that greasy moisture, which might, if very 

 abundant, impede their flight, which is at times 

 prodigious. 



There is one exception to this inactive character 

 of Vultures, in a bird which is now classed with 

 them, though more from certain peculiarities in his 

 plumage and beak, than those closer points of resem- 

 blance, which would fairly entitle him to be placed 

 in such bad company. This bird is called the Snake- 

 ^ater (Vultur serpentarius)^ a native of Africa, and 

 of some parts of India ; and it is here noticed, on 

 account of its singular manner of destroying ser- 

 pents, on which it feeds. An eye-witness thus de- 

 scribes it. He was one day riding, when he observed 

 a Snake-eater, while on the wing, make two or three 

 circles, at a little distance from the spot on which 

 he then was, and suddenly descend to the ground. 

 On observing the bird, he found it engaged in ex- 

 amining and watching some object, near the spot 

 where it stood, which it continued to do for some 

 minutes. After that, it moved with considerable 

 apparent caution, to a little distance from the spot 



VOL. I. L 



