Volume 2

The gardens and menagerie of the Zoological Society delineated / Published, with the sanction of the council, under the superintendence of the secretary and vice-secretary of the society.

  • Zoological Society of London.
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The gardens and menagerie of the Zoological Society delineated / Published, with the sanction of the council, under the superintendence of the secretary and vice-secretary of the society. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    116/352 (page 104)
    that it has recourse to the destruction of other animals for its subsistence. After feeding it 1s seen fixed for hours in one unvaried posture, patiently waiting until the work of digestion is completed and the stimulus of hunger is renewed, to enable and to urge it to mount again into the upper regions of the air and fly abroad in quest of its necessary food. If violently disturbed after a full meal, it is incapable of flight until it has disgorged the contents of its stomach, lightened of which, and freed from their debilitating effects, it is immediately in a condition to soar to such a pitch as, in spite of its magnitude, to become invisible to human sight. In captivity it appears to have no other desire than that of obtaining its regular supply of food. So long as that is afforded it, it manifests a perfect indifference to the circumstances in which it is placed. The indi- vidual figured has been for three years an inhabitant of the Garden, and was for many years previous in the possession of Joshua Brookes, Esq., by whom it was presented to the Society.