118 
THE VULTURE. 
attracted by some dead animal, rode up, and found a numerous 
flock round the carcase of a borse. One of the largest was 
standing with one foot on the ground, and the other in the 
horse’s body, exhibiting a singular force of muscular power, 
as he lifted the flesh and tore off great pieces, sometimes 
shaking his head, and pulling with his heak, or sometimes 
poshing with his leg. As the man approached, one of them, 
which appeared to be gorged, rose up, and flew about fifty ; 
yards off*, when it alighted, and he rode up to it, and then 
jumping down, seized the bird by the neck. The contest 
was severe, and never probably was such a battle seen before, 
as a Cornish miner and a Condor. The man declared he 
never had had such a trial of strength in his life, that he put 
his knee upon the bird’s breast, and tried with all his might 
to twist its neck, but that the Condor, objecting to this, 
struggled most violently, and he fully expected that several 
others which were flying over his head would take part 
against him, and assist their companion. At length, how- 
ever, he succeeded, as he supposed, and carrying off the pinion- 
quills in triumph, left the bird for dead ; but so tenacious are 
they of life, and so difficult to kill, that another horseman 
who passed the spot some time after, found it still living and 
struggling. 
Figure 1 
Figure 2 
Feeding, as Vultures do, on carrion, plunging their beaks 
into putrid masses of decayed flesh, were they covered with 
feathers like Eagles and Hawks, about their heads and necks, 
they would soon become clotted with gore, and be an incum- 
