THE VULTURES 297 



murderous custom of leaving carcasses, well loaded with 

 strychnine, lying about. The poison is meant for the 

 wolves, but too often it is a Vulture that tastes the fatal 

 bait and pays the penalty. 



The big quills of this bird are much in demand among 

 the Mexican miners of Lower California. They use them 

 for storing gold dust. 



The grandest of the whole Vulture clan, perhaps, is the 

 GRIFFON VULTURE. His length varies from four feet 

 to four feet eight inches. His wings have an expanse 

 of eight feet, and their power is very great. 



You will find in the Old Testament quite a number of 

 references to this striking-looking bird of prey, but 

 unfortunately the name is often wrongly translated 

 " Eagle." Here are a few : — 



In Job we read : " Doth the Eagle (Griffon) mount 

 up at thy command, and make her nest on high? She 

 dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the 

 rock, and the strong place. From thence she seeketh the 

 prey, and her eyes behold afar off. Her young ones also 

 suck up blood : and where the slain are, there is she." 



A graphic description, in which the nesting and feed- 

 ing habits, the soaring powers, and the marvellous eye- 

 sight are all summed up in two or three sentences. 



In Jeremiah, we have these fine words of warning : " O 

 thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that boldest 

 the height of the hill : though thou shouldest make thy 

 nest as high as the [Griffon] I will bring thee down from 

 thence, saith the Lord." And still better known are those 

 solemn Avords of our Lord Jesus Christ : " Wheresoever 

 the carcase is, there will the Eagles be gathered together." 

 It would be the flocking together of Vultures that He 

 would have in His thoughts. 



