THE VULTURE. 141 
ance very different from the bold fine Eagle, perched 
on his pinnacle of a rock. 
They sit in a sort of moping, slouching manner, 
with their heads buried within their shoukler-hones, 
as if torpid, or roosting, many of them together on 
tall dead pines, or cypress trees, where, in the morn- 
ing, they often continue for hours, with their wings, 
measuring from eight to ten feet, from tip to tip, 
spread open, as some believe, that the air may blow 
upon and purify their filthy bodies, though more 
probably, that it may gradually dry up a portion 
of that greasy moisture, which might, if very 
abundant, impede their flight, — Avhich is at times 
prodigious. 
There is one exception to this inactive character 
of Vultures, in a bird which is now classed with 
them, though more from certain peculiarities in his 
plumage and beak, than those closer points of re- 
semblance, which would fairly entitle him to be 
placed in such bad company. This bird is called the 
Snake-eater ( Viiltur serpent arias), a native of Africa, 
and of some parts of India ; and it is here noticed, on 
account of its singular manner of destroying serpents, 
on which it feeds. An eye-witness thus describes it. 
He was one day riding, when he observed a Snake- 
eater, while on the wing, make two or three circles, 
at a little distance from the spot on which he then 
was, and suddenly descend to the ground. On ob- 
serving the bird, he found it engaged in examining 
and watching some object, near the spot where it 
stood, which it continued to do for some minutes. 
After that, it moved with considerable apparent cau- 
tion, to a little distance from the spot where it had 
