ir food better when fresh,
and eat it so when they can get it."

"And what hinders them now?" inquired Francois.

"The tough hide hinders them. These birds do not possess the great
muscular power in their claws that eagles do, else you would soon see
the big-horn reduced to a skeleton. They are waiting until its skin
becomes more tender, through decomposition, so that they may be able to
tear it open. That is why they are waiting."

Such was evidently the true explanation; for each of the new-comers was
seen to attack the carcass; and, after finding he could make nothing of
it, fly off and settle quietly down on the rocks or trees.

As the boys watched them, however, some more eager than the rest
effected an incision--at the spot where Basil's bullet had entered the
body of the animal--and were rapidly widening it. The others,
perceiving this, began to fly toward the spot; and, in less than five
minutes, the tree was black with the filthy birds, until they crowded
each other upon the branches. Several perched upon the limbs and horns
of the animal itself, until there was not a space left for another to
stand upon. But their united weight, combined with that of the carcass,
was too much for the roots of the pine. A loud crash was heard,
followed by the sharp rat-like squeaking of the vultures, as they
flapped hurriedly away; and as the broken tree bent downwards, the body
of the big-horn was precipitated to the earth, and fell upon the rocks
below!

There was a great commotion among the assembled birds; and the sound of
their broad wings, hurriedly beating the air, could have been heard for
miles off; but their fright was soon over, and they all settled down
again near the carrion.

The accident was in their favour rather than otherwise. The already
decomposing body, by falling from such a vast height upon the sharp
rocks, was mangled, and the skin burst open! This the foul birds were
not slow in perceiving; and first one, and then another, flapped towards
it, and commenced their horrid meal. In a few moments they were
crowding over the body, hissing like geese, striking at each other with
wings, beak, and claws, and altogether exhibiting such a scene of
ravenous hunger and angry passion as would be difficult to portray.
They soon got in among the entrails of the animal, and commenced
dragging them forth. Sometimes two of them would seize a long string of
these, and each swallowing from opposite ends, w