The bird undoubtedly was the greatest of the vulture family, so closely resembling an eagle in flight that at the height from which it dropped the tortoise those present could not say accurately which bird it was. At any rate, it was the gciers that followed the practice by which the poet is said to have met a death without a parallel in history. Vultures were common all over Bible lands. These locations formed their best territory. A great variety of carcasses were left over the mountains and in the wildernesses by beasts and birds preying upon each other. Along the coast and around the lakes the vultures flocked over the haunts of the pelican and ate putrid fish dropped between nests. Across the desert they followed caravans, picking up refuse. Among the tents of the shepherds they caught up the offal from dressed meat and fowl. In cities they were found wherever a scrap of food was thrown away. To the very altar they went to eat the entrails from the prepared sacrifices of cattle, lambs, goats, and birds. They paired with much affectionate courting, and built in crevices in walls, cliffs, hollow trees that had been felled for commerce and found worthless, and in just such places as they nest to-day. as they nest to-day. They laid two eggs, and because the young remained over two months in the nest they raised only one pair to the season. The young were covered with snowy-white down, then half down and black feathers, and finally became black as their parents. On account of their diet the region near nests is unbearable. These birds must have small sense of smell, or they could not live with themselves. They have a habit of lifting the wings and sitting in the sun, which appears as if they might be trying to air themselves. It is not on record that the most daring ornithologist ever was able to eat of their flesh, though several have tried. The reason Moses placed them among the abominations is obvious, for they were the very worst of his whole list as an article of food. |