THE VULTURE, 
19 
themselves to inspire a secret horror : broken precipices — 
prowling panthers — forests only vocal with the hissing of 
serpents — and mountains rendered still more terrible by the 
condor, the only bird that ventures to make its residence in 
those deserted situations. 
The Vulture. The first rank among birds of prey has 
been assigned to the eagle, not because it is larger than the 
vulture, but because it is more noble and courageous; and 
possesses, at least, as much an inclination for war as an ap- 
petite for prey; the vulture is deficient in all the more re- 
spectable qualities of the eagle, and only rivals it in size, in 
strength, and rapacity. 
i allures may be easily distinguished from all those of the 
eagle kind, by the nakedness of their heads and necks, 
which are without feathers, and only covered with a very 
slight down, or a few scattered hairs. Their eyes are more 
prominent ; those of the eagle being buried more in the 
socket. The claws are shorter, and less hooked. The inside 
ol the wing is covered with a thick down, which is different 
in them from all other birds of prey. Their attitude is not 
so upright as that of the eagle ; and their flight more diffi- 
cult and heavy. 
They are still more strongly marked by their nature, which 
m vultures is cruel, unclean, and indolent. Their sense of 
smelling, however, is amazingly great ; and Nature, for this 
purpose, has given them two large apertures or nostrils with- 
out , an d an extensive olfactory membrane within. They 
seem adapted inwardly, not only for being carnivorous, but 
to eat corn, or whatever of that kind comes in their way. 
1 his bird, which is common in many parts of Europe, and 
but too well known on the western continent, is totally un- 
known in England. In Egypt, Arabia, and many other 
kingdoms of Africa and Asia, vultures are found in great 
abundance. The inside down of their wing is converted 
into a warm and comfortable kind of fur, and is commonly 
sold iii the Asiatic markets. 
* n Egypt, indeed, this bird seems to be of singular service. 
1 here are great (locks of them in the neighbourhood of Grand 
'-airo, which no person is permitted to destroy. The service 
they render the inhabitants, is devouring all the carrion and 
huh of that great city; which might otherwise tendtocor- 
•upt and putrefy the air. They are commonly seen in com- 
pany with the wild dogs of the country, tearing a carcass 
very deliberately together. This odd association produces 
no quarrels; the birds and quadrupeds seem to live 
