Faculty of Scent in the Vulture, 237 



Some years after this, being alongside of a wood, I saw 

 a negro on the ground ; and, as I looked at him from a 

 distance, it struck me that all was not right with him. On 

 going up to him, I found him apparently dead. Life was 

 barely within him, and that was all. He was a total stranger 

 to me ; and I conjectured that he had probably been seized 

 with sickness as he was journeying on, and that he had 

 fallen down there to rise no more. He must have lain in 

 that forlorn, and I hope insensible, state for many hours; 

 because, upon a nearer inspection, I saw swarms of red ants * 

 upon him, and they had eaten deeply into his flesh. I could 

 see no marks that the vultures had been upon him. Indeed, 

 their not being here caused me no surprise, as I had long 

 been satisfied, from the innumerable observations which I had 

 made, that the vulture is attracted to its food by the putrid 

 exhalations which arise from it, when it has arrived at that 

 state of decomposition which renders it fit, and no doubt 

 delicious, food for this interesting tribe of birds. While I 

 was standing near the negro, I could see here and there a 

 Fultur Aura sweeping majestically through the ethereal ex- 

 panse, in alternate rises and falls, as they are wont to do 

 when in search of carrion ; but they showed no inclination 

 to come and perch on the trees, near the prostrate body of 

 this poor unknown sable son of Africa. ' 



The terrible pestilence which visited Malaga at the be- 

 ginning of the present century, swept off thousands upon 

 thousands in the short space of four months. The victims 

 were buried by the convicts. So great was the daily havoc 

 of death, that no private burials could be allowed ; and 

 many a corpse lay exposed in the open air, till the dead-carts 

 made their rounds at nightfall, to take them away to their 

 last resting place, which was a large pit, prepared for them 

 by the convicts in the daytime. During this long-continued 

 scene of woe and sorrow, which I saw and felt, I could 

 never learn that the vultures preyed upon the dead bodies 

 which had not had time enough to putrefy. But when the 

 wind blew in from the Mediterranean, and washed ashore 



* We have the happiness to find another of our extracts applicable as 

 an appropriate note. — .7. D. 



The Red Ant of Guiana marches in millions through the country, in 

 compact order, like a regiment of soldiers. They eat up every insect in 

 their march ; and, if a house obstruct their route, they do not turn out of 

 the way, but go quite through it. Though they sting cruelly when molested, 

 the planter is not sorry to see them in his house ; for it is but a passing 

 visit, and they destroy every kind of insect vermin that had taken shelter 

 under his roof. (Waterton's Wanderings in South Americay Sfc.) 



