THE TURKEY BUZZARD. 
43 
structure of animals, ignorant that there are certain 
parts in those animals admirably adapted for con- 
traction and expansion ? and, of course, that those 
parts are invariably softer than the other parts of 
the bodies of scaly quadrupeds. Did his birds not 
know, or had they forgot on that occasion, that these 
parts are to be found, on each side of the alligator, 
betwixt the nearly impenetrable scaly armour on the 
back, and the equally impenetrable armour of the 
under parts ? In a word, I am positive, if his vul- 
tures had but been well versed in the nature of the 
parts without^ they would soon have introduced 
I themselves to the delicious banquet witliin^ in lieu 
of surrounding the carcass from day to day, in hope 
deferred ; till at last solids were almost turned into 
fluids, and the disappointed boobies found them- 
selves under the heart-rending necessity of aban- 
doning the alligator without breaking their fast, 
and of going in quest of firmer carrion in some 
other quarter. 
If our author's statement be correct, viz. that the 
skin of a large alligator is too tough to be perforated 
: by the bills of vultures, until time shall have ren- 
j dered the carcass of the dead animal too fluid to be 
I of any use to them in the way of food, then it follows 
that no large dead alligator can ever become the 
food of vultures. The birds may certainly see it at 
a great distance, and wing their way to it, and stop 
at it ; and other vultures, miles behind them, may 
even fancy " that they know the meaning of such 
stoppages : still, I am prone to opine that their 
labours would be ill requited. In lieu of dropping 
