THE CINEREOUS VULTURE. 
511 
travels in Spain ancl Africa, of observing these remarkable 
birds, and can therefore speak from experience. 
Extended on the desert-plain at the foot of the moun¬ 
tains there lies a dead animal. Outwardly it appears as 
yet intact; still the carcase gives evidence that decom¬ 
position has already set in: the rigor mortis has passed 
away, the eyes lie deep sunk in their orbits, the outer 
skin relaxes in places, and putrid liquid is seen flowing 
from the nose and mouth; all inside is decomposition 
and putrefaction; the different substances are leaving 
their old combinations to resolve themselves into fresh 
chemical forms; the corpse is distended with the liberated 
gases, which seek to escape and poison the neighbouring 
air with their foetid stench. 
In the early morning a Raven may be discerned soaring 
high over the nearest mountain peak: its keen eye espies 
the carcase from afar; croaking it approaches with rapid 
flight, circles once or twice around the dead animal, and 
then descending folds its pointed wings and alights not 
far from the carrion, which it now approaches with 
rapid steps, and walks round and round, eyeing it with 
suspicious glances. In a short time more Ravens follow 
its example, accompanied by other birds. A Golden 
Eagle descends like a flash of lightning from its rocky 
home in the neighbouring mountains, and approaches the 
tempting meal. A Kite appears on the scene, accompanied 
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by several Neophrons, or Egyptian Vultures, whirling in 
narrowing circles above; added to this, in Africa, the 
Adjutant, or Marabou Stork, is also present on such 
occasions. 
The carvers have, however, not yet arrived. The 
carcase is as yet too fresh for the dogs of the neighbour¬ 
ing village, who never fail to come to the feast, to have 
