626 R. M. STRONG 
Raspail (99 and ’01), credits birds with a very keen sense of 
smell. He gives a number of observations of occurrences in the 
field, and he reports various simple and uncontrolled experiments. 
A caged condor was observed by Gill (’04) to become very much 
excited when, during the dissection of a rabbit, the strong odor 
of the abdomen escaped into the room in which the cage ‘was 
placed. The operation is stated to have been carried on ‘quite 
out of sight of the condor.’ 
The chances for error in the interpretation of this kind of evi- 
dence are so great that it has little value. 
E. Reports of experimental studies 
Here are included accounts only of experiments conducted with 
critical care. The following studies were made by Audubon 
(35): 
1. An entire deer skin, including the hoofs, and provided with 
artificial eyes, was stuffed with dried grass, the whole being 
allowed to become ‘perfectly dry.’ The stuffed skin was exposed 
in a large field, and the observer concealed himself not far away. 
In a few minutes a vulture, soaring about, saw the deer skin and 
sailed down to it. The hide was torn open, and much grass was 
pulled out. 
2. A large dead hog was hauled to a ravine and concealed by 
a covering of cane. As the weather was warm, the body became 
‘extremely fetid’ in a couple of days. Dogs found the carcass 
and fed heartily upon it, but vultures sailing over from time to 
time did not find it. 
3. A young pig was killed, and its blood was scattered about 
on the ground. The body was concealed by a covering of leaves. 
Vultures found the blood and followed it down the ravine to the 
body, which was then discovered and devoured. 
4. Two young vultures were kept for some weeks in a cage 
where they became accustomed to receiving food. The birds 
were in the habit of hissing and gesticulating when they saw food 
approaching. However, when food, either fresh or putrid, was 
brought up to the immediate rear of the cage where the vultures 
could not see it, no excitement was shown. 
