I thought any nakedness about the gullet in the context would be the voracity of their rapacious instinct. Shouldn't it be "advantageously naked"? Any other inference that we draw as a reader? Thank you.

When the animals entered the Ark in pairs, one may imagine that allied species made much private remark on each other, and were tempted to think that so many forms feeding on the same store of fodder were eminently superfluous, as tending to diminish the rations. (I fear the part played by the vultures on that occasion would be too painful for art to represent, those birds being disadvantageously naked about the gullet, and apparently without rites and ceremonies.)

Question

I thought any nakedness about the gullet in the context would be the voracity of their rapacious instinct.  Shouldn't it be "advantageously naked"? Any other inference that we draw as a reader? Thank you.

When the animals entered the Ark in pairs, one may imagine that allied species made much private remark on each other, and were tempted to think that so many forms feeding on the same store of fodder were eminently superfluous, as tending to diminish the rations. (I fear the part played by the vultures on that occasion would be too painful for art to represent, those birds being disadvantageously naked about the gullet, and apparently without rites and ceremonies.)

Answer

Yes, as Glenn says, the gullet is referring to the neck area of the bird and not their eating habits

Answer

Hi Joseph,
Glenn and Brendan are both correct, but I would add that, in answer to your question, "advantageous" would be incorrect because the fact that they are "naked about the gullet" is an undesirable thing. So "disadvantageously" is the proper adverb in this context to modify the adjective "naked."

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