27 
elevation at which it usually hovers; the familiar Robin, who dis- 
covers the wriggling worm at a distance of many yards, must also 
be endowed with acute powers of vision; nor can it be less perfect 
in the Shrike, who sallies fourth from his chosen branch to secure 
with unerring aim the passing fly or beetle. The Vulture, provided 
with organs of equal if not even greater power, descries from an 
enormous distance a dying camel, a stranded sheep or any other 
earthly creature which has met with misfortune, and by his peculiar 
motions gives the cue to others of its kind from still greater dis- 
tances and various points of the compass; for “‘ wheresoever the 
carcase is, there will the Eagles be gathered together.” 
The sense of smell is most acute in the Anatide or Duck tribe, 
but according to my experience seems to be entirely wanting in the 
Raptores, Vultures, Eagles, &c. 
That of hearing would appear to be most perfect in the Owls, as 
testified by their highly developed auditory conch; at the same time 
it is by no means wanting in many other families of birds. 
Neither can the sense of feeling be absent from the probing bill 
of the Woodcock and the members of the Scolopacide generally. 
Should any of my readers wish to enrich their knowledge in this 
direction, I must refer them to the works of the writers mentioned 
above. In ‘The Birds of Great Britain’ my chief aim has been to 
give a faithful representation of the various species, and to record, in 
addition to the notes of others, such observations as my lengthened 
study in this branch of science has enabled me to make. 
The following arrangement will give a general view of ‘ The Birds 
of Great Britain,’ with some additional information respecting them 
obtained during the progress of the work, and notices of those species 
which have occurred in the British Islands but which are not, in my 
opinion, entitled to a place in our fauna and consequently have not 
been figured. 
ORDER RAPTORES. 
Family VULTURID&. 
' The Vultures, a family of birds whose proper home is the warmer 
countries of the world, are but feebly represented in the British 
Islands, where, indeed, the appearance of the two species which have 
occurred therein must be regarded as purely accidental, our islands 
being fortunately exempt from those visitations which render the 
presence of these useful scavengers a matter of great importance. 
The family comprises about twenty-four species, divided among ten 
or twelve genera, fhe greater part of which inhabit Eastern Europe, 
Africa, and India; the remainder frequent America, and extend their 
range from the United States to Chile. 
