CONDOR. y 409 
well-known birds are extremely serviceable in hot climates, 
by devouring all sorts of filth and impurities, and thus pre- 
serving the atmosphere from the contamination of noxious 
effuvia. On this account their cowardice is protected by 
man, who in civilised as well as savage life always looks to 
his own advantage, and does not disdain to make use of those 
for whom he cannot help feeling contempt. Besides their 
usefulness during life, the vultures have an additional security 
in their utter uselessness when dead. In consequence of their 
food, their body exhalesa disgusting effluvium, and their flesh 
is so rank, stringy, and unsavoury, that nothing short of abso- 
lute famine can bring any one to taste of it. No skill nor 
precautions in cooking can overcome its natural bad odour, 
which prevails over the most powerful spices. But though 
not eatable themselves, they excel in picking clean to the very 
bones the carrion they feed upon, leaving them as bare as if 
they had been carefully scraped. With this food they gorge 
themselves to such a degree as to be incapable of flight, and 
hardly able to move for some time, and then allow of a very 
close approach. In fact, their indolence, filthiness, and vora- 
city are almost incredible. 
They are birds of slow flight at all times, and raise them- 
selves from the ground with difficulty, though, when surprised 
and closely pursued after overfeeding, when they are almost 
helpless, they can lighten themselves by vomiting up their 
superfluous meal, sometimes to the great annoyance of the 
pursuer, and then at once take flight. Their sight is exceed- 
ingly keen, and is only inferior in power to their sense of 
smelling, which enables them to discover their peculiar food 
at great and incredible distances. They are dull and heavy, 
fond of assembling in flocks upon trees, where they may be 
seen perched for hours together, sitting with their wings 
open as if ventilating their plumage, They walk with the 
body inclined forward, the wings drooping, the tail brushing 
the ground. When they wish to take flight, they are obliged 
to run a few paces, and then contract the body violently. 
