PIGEONS AND RAVENS 123 



vultures engaged in quartering the earth over an area 

 of a hundred square miles may be brought down to 

 one spot in the space of thirty or forty minutes. 

 Hence the strange phenomenon, the suddenly formed 

 congregation of vultures where not one had been 

 previously seen, dropping out of the void air as if 

 by a miracle. 



We now know from our airmen that scent particles 

 do not rise far. One who has investigated the sub- 

 ject — J. M. Bacon — writes: "I can affirm that all 

 the smoke of London is unnoticeable only a quarter 

 of a mile in the sky, even in mid-winter when every 

 chimney is doing its worst." 



Marvellous as is the sight in birds as compared 

 with that of other animals, it appears probable that 

 in some genera the sense of smell has not decayed as 

 in the majority. I have never been able to find out 

 the truth about the old notion regarding the pigeon's 

 love of fragrant smells. This belief has actually led 

 to actions at law brought by a man against his 

 neighbour for having robbed him of his pigeons by 

 attracting them to a new dovecot by that means. It 

 is a question which might be settled by experiment. 



I am convinced that the true crows, represented in 

 our country by the raven, carrion and hooded crows, 

 the rook and daw, have a keen sense of smell. They 

 too are carrion-eaters, but have not the long sight 

 and soaring powers of the vulture; they fly low, and 

 it may be that smell is a help to them in their quest 

 for animal food. Where ravens are abundant, it is 

 common knowledge among shepherds that the sight 



