34 



SENSE OF SMELL IN CARRION BIRDS. 

 By the Rev. F. Orpen Morris, B. A. 



A circumstance which lately came under my observation, will, I think, set at 

 rest the long-agitated question, whether carrion birds are directed to their food by 

 the sense of sight or the sense of smell. The day on which the recent heavy fall of 

 snow commenced, which has lain on the ground so long, a mare, in a field of 

 mine, slipped a foal. The snow storm coming on, it was entirely forgotten, and 

 remained in the same place where it lay, without being removed, so that it was 

 soon completely covered, and hidden by the fleecy fall, which clothed the earth as 

 it were with a mantle ; and the old proverb, " out of sight, out of mind," was 

 verified ; for the circumstance above alluded to was soon dismissed from re- 

 collection. It was recalled, however, by my seeing, one afternoon, two or 

 three hungry Crows, their appetites sharpened by the long frost, perambulating 

 the spot, and appearing to have found a meal. They were most polite to one 

 another this first day that I saw them ; for only one at a time presumed to 

 approach the banquet ; the others standing a few yards off, quietly and patiently 

 awaited their turn, and as soon as each had helped himself to his first course, his 

 companions one by one advanced, and having each seen his predecessor carve for 

 himself, came in for his own share. The next day this punctilious etiquette was not 

 observed, for all the comers, in number four or five, partook of the feast together, 

 and having simultaneously taken dinner, flew away in company, satisfied with 

 their good luck. At least they ought to have been ; for I heard of many other 

 birds, who either sunk under the " pelting of the pitiless storm," or fell victims 

 to the starvation to which the stopping of their usual supplies of food subjected 

 them. 



With regard to the incident mentioned above, there are, I well know, two 

 semi-extenuating circumstances which may be alleged. The one, that in frosty 

 weather the olfactory and other organs of men and animals are rendered more 

 acute and discriminating than is the case in dull and heavy weather, when all 

 the senses and faculties are deadened, and oftentimes even fail of being able 

 adequately to perform their accustomed functions. The other, that the air is 

 also at the same time thinner ; therefore more conductive of both smells and 

 sounds, than at other times ; putrefaction is indeed checked or retarded by frost, 

 but where it has already taken place, the decomposed particles find their way 

 more easily through the rarified medium, than when it contains heavier atoms, 

 which, by their bulk, more retard the transmission of the former. Still, the 

 object of attraction being, as I have mentioned, hid from the sight altogether, it 

 matters little to the actual fact, of the birds being directed to their food by the 

 sense of smell alone, whether that took place under circumstances more favourable 

 than ordinary or not. 



