554 



THE ADJUTANT, OR ARGALA. 



engulfed without any apparent difficulty. The Adjutant is a most useful bird in the countries 

 which it inhabits, and is protected with the utmost care, as it thoroughly cleans the streets 

 and public places of the various oflfal which is flung carelessly in the way, and would be left 

 to putrefy but for the constant services of the Adjutant and creatures of similar habits. The 

 vulture is valuable in devouring dead animals of a large size, as its beak is capable of tearing 

 the hide and flesh from the liones, wliich are in their turn the prey of the hyena ; but the 

 Adjutant is chiefly important in swallowing the refuse, of slaughtered animals, and killing 

 snakes and other unpleasant reptiles. It is remarkable that the bird, though very far removed 

 from the vulture, should have a decidedly vulturine aspect ; its nearly naked head and neck 

 adding greatly to the semblance. 







ADJUTANT.— ify?/ap^i7«s cruith^nijtr. 



Tlie attitudes assumed by the Adjutant are varied, and genei'ally partake of the grotesque. 

 It has a curious habit of airing itself on a hot day, by standing still with the huge beak droop- 

 ing towards the ground and nearly touching the earth, and its wings stuck out straight from 

 the body. In this odd attitude it will remain for a considerable time immovable, as if carved 

 in stone, and has about as grotesque an appearance as can well be imagined. Sometimes it 

 squats on the ground with its legs tucked under its body, and sits looking about it with a 

 superb air of dignity as of an enthroned monarch. Sometimes it stalks menacingly along, its 

 neck stretched to the utmost, its head thrust forward, and its huge bill open, looking a most 

 formidable creature. 



It is, however, a cowardly kind of bird, and its assum])tion of valor is of the most flimsy 

 description, for it will run away from a child if boldly faced, and would as soon face a bantam 



