JOHN-CROW VULTURE. 5 



him." This case had been heard, and the man com- 

 mitted to the House of Correction, when a com- 

 plaint was presented against another man whom 

 Major G., also of the camp, had detected under 

 similar circumstances, and lodged in the guard- 

 house. Two days after his detection, "the Major 

 observed some Carrion-Vultures, hovering about a 

 spot in the fields, and on sending to see what was 

 the matter, a Kilmarnock cap containing a dead 

 fowl, and some eggs, tied up in a pair of old trou- 

 sers, was found very near to the spot, where the 

 prisoner was caught. This discovery by the aid 

 of the Vultures confirming the suspicion against 

 the prisoner, he was condemned. 



" The last instance that I shall relate is one 

 in which the senses of hearing, seeing, and smelling 

 were all exercised ; but not under the infiuence of 

 the usual appetite for carrion food, but where the 

 object was a living, though wounded animal. 



" A person in the neighbourhood of the town, 

 having his pastures much trespassed on by vagrant 

 hogs, resorted to his gun to rid himself of the an- 

 noyance. A pig which had been mortally wounded, 

 and had run squealing and trailing his blood 

 through the grass, had not gone far before it fell 

 in the agonies of death. At the moment the ani- 

 mal was perceived to be unable to rise, three Vul- 

 tures at the same instant descended upon it, at- 

 tracted no doubt by the cries of the dying pig, and 

 by the scent of its reeking blood ; and while it was 

 yet struggling for life, began to tear open its wounds 

 and devour it. 



