BIRDS OF PREY. 
169 
the fire, or curiously peers through the window to see if the spring- 
time will not soon return. 
If there be any choice among the raptores, I should certainly 
prefer—dare I say 
the eagle. Among 
have seen nothing 
posing, as our five 
(in the Jardin des 
gether like so many 
dorned with superb 
delicate white down, 
mantles of gray. 
exiles, who seem to 
selves the  vicissi- 
the political events 
them from their 
What real differ- 
the eagle and the 
passionately —_ loves 
it? the vulture to 
the bird-world I 
so grand, so in- 
Algerian vultures 
Plantes), posted to- 
Turkish pachas, a- 
cravats of the most 
and draped in noble 
A solemn divan of 
discuss among them- 
tudes of things and 
which have driven 
native country. 
ence exists between 
vulture? The eagle 
blood, and prefers 
living flesh, very rarely eating the 
dead. The vulture seldom kills, and directly benefits life by restoring 
to its service and to the grand current of vital circulation the dis- 
organized objects which would associate with others to their dis- 
organization. The eagle lives upon murder only, and may justly be 
entitled the minister of Death. On the contrary, the vulture is the 
servant of Life. 
Owing to his strength and beauty, the eagle has been adopted as 
an emblem by more than one warrior race which lived, ike himself, 
by rapine. The Persians and the Romans chose him. We now as- 
sociate him with the lofty ideas which these great empires originate. 
Grave people—even an Aristotie—have accredited the absurd fable 
that he daringly eyed the sun, and put his offspring to the test, by 
making them also gaze upon it. Once started on this glorious road, 
the philosophers halted no more. Buffon went the furthest. He 
