36 



Zoology. 



Vultures. 



EASTERN HINDOOSTAN. 



his name, by having beftowed on it the title of Buxar-boufe, 

 Sir HeBor went a fecond time to India ; he fate down before 

 Fondicherry in Aiigujl 1778. M. Bellecombe defended the place 

 with great fpirit, but, on Ociober the i6th, was obliged to fub- 

 mit to the irrefiftible fire of the befiegers. Our generous com- 

 mander, in confideration of the merit of the French general, 

 gave him the moft honorable conditions, and permitted his 

 garrifon to march out with all the honors of war. 



Some little attention fliould be paid to the natural hiftory of 

 this neighborhood: It abounds with vultures; here is found 

 the Pondicherryi defcribed by Sonnerat, ii. p. 180. tab. civ. and 

 the great Indian^ — tab. cv. which waits during day near the 

 fhores for the dead fifhes which may be flung up by the 

 waves : it is alfo very fond of putrid carcalTes, which, like the 

 land-vulture, the by an a, it will greedily difinter. To the vul- 

 tures of this country we may add a fmaller fpecies, called by 

 M. Sonnerat, the Gingi, p. 184. 



All this genus are equally remarkable for their voracity, 

 and their fiigacity of noftril. After the attack of the Nabob's 

 camp before the battle of PlaJJey, in which was made a vaft 

 flaughter of men, elephants, and horfes ; vultures, jackals, and 

 pariars, or village curs, were feen tearing the fame corps or 

 carcafs, and the firft were often fo gorged, that they could not 

 be forced from the fpot. Vultures were ufually very rare in the 

 adjacent country, but at that time the plain was covered 

 with them. The air was fuddenly feen filled with multitudes, 

 flying with their ufual lluggifli wing from every quarter, and 

 from moft diftant parts, to partake of the carnage. It is won- 

 derful 



