276 



NATURAL II I STORY OF lilRDS. 



purpose of carrying down baggage from Simla to the j)lains, and, as a matter of course, 

 several lia<l died on tlic way. 



" One which I found on the roadside was surrounded by crowds of these vultures. 

 On going up to examine it, I disturbed about forty of them, most of which flew up 

 into the neighboring trees. On going near the carcass, I was sur] prised to liear a rum- 

 bling noise proceeding from its inside. There was a good-sized hole dug out by the 

 bills of these birds in the neck of the carcass, and also another near its anus, while the 



Kio. aa. — Cypt nlp/Klli, Uli|i|)i:irs vuUure. 



stomach was swollen out and distended as if with air. On hittini; this with my stick 

 it aj)i)eared to be iilled out by something inside, and in a few minutes, to my great 

 astonishment, I found that there were more vultures, .ill alive, inside the carcass! 

 Two following each other in cpiick succession shortly afterwards walked out through 

 the hole in the neck of the bullock, and the first immediately flew ofif to a neighboring 

 tree, whilst the other was so gorged he could not do more than waddle o£f to a rock 

 close by, on which he sat, whilst I left hira and concluded my journey." 



I 



