VULTURE PERFORMANCES. 175 



blow, that he broke its back, so that it could 

 not move from the fracture downwards to the 

 tail. After a few more blows from both of 

 us, we regained our shelter thinking it 

 dead. 



Two days afterwards I had occasion to 

 pass the same spot, being alone ; there were a 

 good many vultures about, and I concluded 

 that they had made a meal of the snake ; 

 but, on approaching, I found it much better 

 than when we left it, but only in the upper 

 part, the lower being still paralyzed. 



A few of the larger vultures were standing 

 close to the head, as if only awaiting death to 

 fall on ; and yet they durst not do it while 

 the head was still erect and the eye living ; 

 though I have seen them begin on a poor 

 broken-down horse long before life was 

 extinct. Two or three blows from my ma- 

 chete finished it, and having a string-measure 

 with me, I drew it out and found it was fifteen 

 feet six inches in length, and eighteen inches 

 round the thickest part of the body ; but it 

 must have fasted some time, besides having 

 passed two days in such a miserable state. 

 Repassing that way a couple of hours after- 

 wards, there was nothing but the skeleton left, 

 without the slightest particle of flesh or skin. 



