258 
OBSERVATIONS ON VULTURES. 
cat or fox, swell themselves, and hop sidewise as 
as in their power. 
0 
“ The parents, whilst sitting, and equally disturb®’ 
act in the same manner, — fly only a very short distaO® < 
waiting there the departure of the offender to reassUi 1 ' 
their duty. As the young grow larger, the l ,arC "i| 
throw their food merely before them, and, with 
their exertions, seldom bring their young offspring ' 
to the field. Their nests become so fetid, before t ^ 
final departure of the young birds, that a person fot®^ 
to remain there half an hour, must almost be suffoc a ^.jj 
“ I have been frequently told that the same pair " 
not abandon their first nests or place of deposit, nm®^ 
broken up during incubation. This would attach ^ 
the vulture a constancy of affection that I cau®‘ { 
believe exists, as I caunot believe that pairing iu 
manner described is of any longer duration than - ^ 
aD^i 
necessitous call of nature for the one season , 
again, were they so inclined, they would never 
gregate iu the manner they do, but would go in su's 
pairs all their lives like eagles. ^ 
“ Vultures do not possess, in any degree, the 
of bearing off their prey, as falcons do, unless it ( 
slender portions of entrails hanging by the bill. , 
chased by others from a carcass, it even renders th® 
very awkward in their flight, and forces them to * 
earth again almost immediately. ..., r 
“ Many persons in Europe believe that buzzards P r ^.,y 
itrid flesh to anv other. This is a mistake. ‘ v 
their 
putrid flesh to any other. This is 
flesh that they can at once tear with tneir ■ 
powerful bill in pieces, is swallowed, no matter *T 
fresh. What I have said of their killing and devour 1 VJ 
young animals, is sufficient proof of this ; but „ 
frequently happens that these birds are forced to" j 
until the hide of their prey gives way to the bid' ^ 
'*V 
preji 0 .. . 
have seen a large dead alligator, surrounded by vul ,u 
and carrion crows, of which nearly the whole oi . 
flesh was so completely decomposed before these b’ (< 
could perforate the tough skin of the monster, 1 , 
when at last it took place, their disappointment ' 
