prey ; few, except the Condor, or great South Ame- 

 rican vulture, attacking any living animals in preference, 

 but diligently feeking for the remains of carrion, which 

 they are enabled to perceive from a wonderful diftance 

 by their exquifite power of fcent. In the Eaftern cli- 

 mates vultures of various fpecies never fail to attend 

 the field of battle, eagerly hovering in multitudes at 

 fome diftance, in expectation of their wimed-for ban- 

 quet. When preffed by hunger, they become unu- 

 fually rapacious, and feize with indifcriminating hafte 

 whatever food is acceffible. Thus we are aflured by 

 the celebrated Mr. Bruce, that during his Abyffinian 

 expedition, while himfelf and his companions were 

 feated on the top of the mountain Lanalmon, prepa- 

 ring their repaft, a large vulture came from the neigh- 

 bouring cliffs, and feized out of the veffel in which 

 their meat lay, a leg and moulder of goats flefh in its 

 talons, and flew away with them both ; and foon re- 

 turning for a fecond booty, was (hot by Mr. Bruce. 

 From the defcription and figure given by that gentle- 

 man, it appears probable, that though called an Eagle/ 

 it was a fpecies of vulture ; viz. the vultur barbatus of 

 Linnzeus, which is one of the largeft of the genus, and 

 is a bird of great ftrength and vigour. It is no im- 

 probable fuppofition that the attacks of fuch birds may 

 have afforded fome foundation for the ancient fictions 

 of the Stymphalides. The vukur percnopterus is found, 

 not only in the hotter regions of the world, but even- 

 in the temperate paits of Europe. The figure here 

 reprefented was taken with great accuracy from the 

 bird itfeif. 



