420 AMIENS, ANUIRIIG NY WUE AMON a, 
is like the pull of the string which enables the kite to shoot rapidly upward 
through the air. But what shall we say of a bird which, without momentum, 
but still on motionless wing, rises steadily agaist the wind? Not only rises, 
but makes rapid progress forward as well, in a direction contrary to the wind? 
That these and other birds do accom- 
plish this feat is a fact patent to all 
careful observers.. How they do it— 
well, that is another matter. “The way 
of an Eagle (Vulture) in the air” has 
puzzled more than wise Agur. 
The American Vulture is not 
a high-flyer like those of the 
Orient. In his case, however, 
it 1s still clearly evident that en- 
tire dependence is placed upon 
the eye-sight in the detection 
of food. An immense extent 
of territory is covered by a 
Buzzard on his daily rounds. 
No. visible corruption escapes 
his notice, but the odor of half- 
covered carrion may become al- 
most palpable before it attracts 
his attention. A possible rea 
son for this inability to locate 
by the sense of smell alone is 
disclosed in the words of 
Coues: “Certain it is that m- 
dependent of the passing con- 
tents of the alimentary canal, 
permanent foetid, musky odors 
exhale from the bones and 
muscles; and the same stench: 
is entangled in the web of the 
Photo feathers. It is retained for a 
by the 5 : 5 
Author long while even after the bird 
is killed and stuffed. So 
strong is it that one author, an 
excellent naturalist, too, fancied it must be rather unpleasant to the birds 
Taken near 
Columbus. 
“W1iTH' MOTIONLESS PINIONS.” 
themselves.” Hence it would appear that since the birds smell so loudly 
themselves, they are not in a position to exercise discrimination with refer- 
ence to external scents. It does not seem to be true, as has sometimes been 
