CHARACTER. 
103 
drive a herd of cattle, enforcing order with its bill. 
Ostriches, Bustards, Swans, Turkey Cocks, and Ganders, 
from their battles with other Fowls, secure for themselves 
the most unconditional obedience in the yard; the larger 
species among a family obtain the command over the 
lesser, and it is curious with what humility and resig¬ 
nation these latter accept their yoke. There is a 
South-American bird which is called the King of the 
Vultures, simply because he lords it over all others of 
his tribe. 
“ I found,” says Bichard Schomburgk, “ the striking 
fact confirmed, that the deepest respect was paid to the 
King of the Vultures (Gypar elms Papa ) from the species 
Gathartes Aura and C. Iota; even if hundreds of these 
are assembled round a carcase, they immediately retire at 
his approach. Perched on the neighbouring trees, or, in 
lieu of these, sitting on the ground, they wait, greedy 
and envious, until their feudal lord has satisfied his 
hunger and has withdrawn from the repast. Scarcely has 
this taken place than they again rush with savage eager¬ 
ness on the carcase they had lately quitted, to satiate 
themselves with the remnants of the feast.” Humboldt 
relates as an eye-witness: “I can state as fact that the 
appearance of a King Vulture will put to flight a whole 
company of his more plebeian relatives: it is never a 
question of resistance.” I proved to my satisfaction, after 
several observations, that the same condition of things 
exists in Africa between the Eared Vulture ( Otogyps 
auricularis) and the smaller Egyptian Vultures (Neophron 
perenopterus), and often the same thing occurs among 
caged birds, when a quarrelsome individual may gratify 
his love of bullying to its full extent. Their greediness 
may be considered as the primary cause of this love of 
