168 Eetrospectwe Criticism, 



ceived it, though hundreds have passed over it, and some 

 very near it, in search of their daily food. Although the 

 vultures did not discover this dainty mess, the dogs in the 

 vicinity, who appeared to have better olfactory nerves, fre- 

 quently visited the place, and gave us much trouble in the 

 prosecution of our experiments. 



2. I now suggested an experiment which would enable us 

 to test the enquiry, whether the vulture could be^attracted to 

 an object by the sight alone. A coarse painting on canvass 

 was made, representing a sheep skinned and cut open. This 

 proved very amusing. No sooner was this picture placed on 

 the ground, than the vultures observed it, alighted near, 

 walked over it, and some of them commenced tugging at the 

 painting. They seemed much disappointed and surprised ; 

 and, after having satisfied their curiosity, flew away. This 

 experiment was repeated more than fifty times, with the same 

 result. The painting was then placed within 10 ft. of the spot 

 where our offal was deposited. They came, as before ; walked 

 around it, but in no instance evinced the slightest symptom 

 of their having scented the offal which was so near them. 



S. The most offensive portions of the offal were now placed 

 on the earth ; these were covered over by a thin canvass cloth ; 

 on this was strewed several small pieces of fresh beef. The 

 vultures came, ate the flesh that was in sight, and, although 

 they were standing upon a quantity beneath them, and though 

 their bills were frequently within the one eighth of an inch of this 

 putrid matter, they did not discover it. We made a small rent 

 in the canvass, and they at once perceived the flesh, and began 

 to devour it. We drove them away, replaced the canvass 

 with an entire piece, and again they commenced eating the 

 fresh pieces of flesh exhibited to their view, without disco- 

 vering the hidden food they were treading upon. 



4. The medical gentlemen who were present, now made a 

 number of experiments, to attest the absurdity of a story, 

 widely circulated in the United States through the news- 

 papers, that the eye of a vulture, when perforated, and the 

 sight extinguished, would, in a few moments, be restored, in 

 consequence of his placing his head under his wing ; the 

 down of which was said to restore the sight. The eyes were 

 perforated : I need not add, that the bird became blind, and 

 that it was beyond the power of the healing art to restore his 

 lost sight. His life was, however, preserved by occasionally 

 putting food in his mouth. In this situation, they placed him 

 in a small out-house ; hung the flesh of the hare, that had 

 now become offensive, within his reach ; nay, they frequently 

 placed it within an inch of his nostrils ; but the bird gave no 



