V IT L 
fays he, « to behold them when they ^fe feeding, 
and difputing for their prey. An eagle generally 
prefides at their entertainments, and makes them, 
all keep their diftance till he has fatisficd himfelf. 
They then fall to with an excellent appetite : and 
their fenfe of fmelling is fo exquifite, that the in- 
ftant a carcafe drops, we may fee the Vultures 
floating in the air from all quarters, and come fouf- 
ing on their prey.' It is fuppofed by fome, that 
they eat nothing which poffeffes life : but this hap- 
pens only when they are unable to overcome their 
prey; for, when they difcover lambs, they fliew 
no mercy; dndferpents are their ordinary food. 
The indolence, voracity, and filthinefs, of thefe 
birds, almoft furpaffes belief. In "the Brazils, 
where they are found in great abundance, when- 
ever they difcover a carcafe which they are at li- 
berty to tear at their eafe, they fo gormandize as 
to be unable to fly. At all times, indeed, they 
are birds of a low flight, and can hardly raife them- 
felves from the ground ; but, when over fed, they 
are entirely helplefs : however, when purfued, they 
foon get rid of their burden ; for, poffefTing the 
faculty of vomiting up what they have eaten, they 
fly off with greater facility. 
To be a fpeilator of the hoftilities between 
fioxious or hateful animals, is generally very en- 
tertaining; and, of all creatures, the two moft at 
enmity are the Vulture and the crocodile of the 
Brazils. The female of the latter (which in the 
rivers of that country grows to the fize of twenty- 
leven feet) lays from one to two hundred eggs in 
the fands on the fide of the river, where they are 
hatched by the heat of the climate. The croco- 
dile ufes every precaution to eonceal from all 
other animals the fpot where flie depofits her bur- 
den ; but an aflembly of Vultures fit filent and un- 
fcen in the lofty trees of fome neighbouring foreft, 
and obferve the operations of the crocodile with 
the pleafing expectations of fucceeding plunder: 
they patiently wait till flie has laid the whole num- 
ber of her eggs, covered them in the fand, and re- 
tired to a convenient diflance; and then they fud- 
denly pour down on the neft, uncover the eggs, 
and devour the whole brood in an inftant. 
Some perfons, when preffed by hunger, have 
been tempted to talte the flefh of the Vulture : but 
it is lean, ftringy, naufeous. and unfavoury; fmells 
and taftes of the carrion by which it was nouriflied ; 
and fends forth an almoft infupportable ftench. 
Thefe birds ufually lay two eggs at a time, and 
produce but once a year. They build their nefts 
in inacceffible cliffs; and other fituations fo very 
remote, that they are feldom feen. Thofe in Eu-^ ; 
rope principally refide where they breed, feldom i 
venturing into the plains, except when the fnow 
and ice, in their native retreats, have banilhed all 
living creatures but themfelves : then they defcend 
from their heights, and brave thofe perils which 
tliey muft encounter in more cultivated regions. 
Such are the manners of this bird in general; 
indokntj filthy, and rapacious. The whole genus 
agrees in thofe leading charai5iers; and their diver- 
fities are chiefly thofe of climate, fize, or colour. 
The following are the moft remarkable fpecies. 
Vulture, Golden. This bird refembles the ', 
golden eagle in various particulars, but is larger i 
in every proportion. It is four feet and a half in j 
length from the tip of the beak to the extremi-ty i 
of the tail; and, to the end of the claws, forty-five ' 
inches, ""^he length of the upper chap is about 
iev.en inches; and the tail is twenty-feven inches. 
VUL 
f he lower paft. of the htck^ hvik% and |3e|iw at^ 
ted; thefeathets On thfe back are'KUc^^rftij'at^^ 
"%he winjg^ arid tail^of a yeljlpwii^ tirovyh hye. .. 
VuLTUR-ES, King of^ . The I^iri^ of tbie^ul'- 
tiires is a native of Anriencaj. arid.fom'ewhatlar^e^ 
than a turkey-cock. It is chiefly.'rcfnarkab^lc for 
the fingular formation of the^'fk'i ri of the lieacj jan^ 
neck, v/hich, is bare: this fkjn, which j^ Qf ap 
orange colour, arifesifropa' the |b%fc,.Qf tl^^^i3pjD,-'atKi 
extends on^ each /ide:to.ll>^"li€^^;T^^ V.|j9nqe,"It 
proceeds lilce an indented coi^nb, ,an"(^'.t4't^'n'j^.ith'^ 
fide, according to the motion 'of the' l^ead J A 
fcarlet- coloured ficin furrouiids tii^.eyes j and thfe 
irides have the colour and luftre of pearl. Tjhe 
head and neck , are -c^ftitutje of feathers^ having ^ 
fiefti-coloured fl<;in on th'^J u^per p^rt, a f^fjrl^t 
behind the head, and a dtjikipr qolppred i]i:in^^ ' 
fore.- -Farther down b,ehrnd,the Tie'ad, there 'rife!?' 
a tuft of black down ; from which ifiJiies a wrinkled 
fl<.in, which extends beneath the throat on each 
fide, of a brownifli colour, mixed with blue and 
reddifh behind.. Below, on the nalicd part.of-the 
neck, a collar is formed of foft longifh feathers of 
a deep afli-colour, furrounding the neck, and co- 
vering the breaft before. The bird fometimes 
withdraws it's whole neck, and frequently a part 
of it's head, into this collar; and appears to view 
as if the head ifliied immediately from the body. 
By thefe marks the King of the Vultures is fuf- 
ficiently diftinguifhed from all others of the kind: 
and it cannot be denied, that it is.by far thp moTt 
beautiful of this deformed family ; but neither )^t's 
habits nor inftiniSbs differ firorh thofe of the cow- 
ardly, indolent, and filthy tribe,, tOii which' it %- 
longs.' : ■ / ; „ i::'. ^ 'I 
VuLTuaE, Bearded'.. This Sbird is about the 
fize of an.eagie; meafuring three febt four inches 
■ from the tip of the bill to the ejctre^ityr of thfe'tali. 
The expanfion of the wings is fcven feet fix inches; 
and the primaries are upwards of twenty-three in- 
ches in length. The bill is flefli-coloured, in- 
clining to purple, darkeft at the point; and aboot 
four inches in length. From the bafe of t'he 
lower chap hangs a remarkable tuft of black' fea- 
thers. The eyes are fituated juft' above the p^t 
where the mouth extends, each eye having a bright- 
ifli yellow circle. The fides and fore-part of the 
head are black; the noftrils are covered with black 
•ftiS^ feathers ; and from each angle of the mouth 
proceeds a blackifh line, which tendis:a.ligfle dov;^- 
wards, in the fliape of whifkers.- The reA of the 
head, and the whole of the neck, are covfered with 
white feathers; which on the latter are long, Toofe, 
and pointed, like thofe of a cock; and on the 
former fliort and fmooth. The -upper fid^ciftfte 
neck, the back, wings, and tail, are of a- dai*k 
- brovm colour; and the lefi^er covctts of the wihgs 
have dafiies of a bright redd ifti brown alon^'^the 
(hafts, but very narrow. The- bottoms of all the 
feathers are white; and there is alfo a very thick, 
foft,. white down, all over the body, beneafh-'tTie 
feathers. The under fide af the breaft, bislly, 
thighs, and coverts under chei tail, -are ^«hi#, tinged 
with a reddifii browi^; and ih^ le'gi' ire eovgr'Jd 
• With fiiort white downy feath«f-$.i Tht fiet irc 
of a leaden colour; the claws) are -dufk^ j and- the 
middle and exterior toes oil each foot are united 
' by a ftrong flcin. ■ • • ; - . t v ^ ; - t 
This bird is a ftative- of Bafbary j kbd 4fi^ -fiHl 
figured and defcriBed by EdWkds.^' '> iiro 
Vulture, BRAZitrAN. Thl^ fpecieS, ekM 
alfo the Mexican Vulture, according to Marc-. 
grave. 
