286 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE. 



issue of the worm from its hole, which, alarmed at the shaking 

 of the ground, endeavours to make its escape, when it is imme- 

 diately seized, and becomes the prey of the ingenious bird. The 

 lapwing also frequents the haunts of moles, which, when in 

 pursuit of worms on which they feed, frighten them, and the 

 worm, in attempting to escape, comes to the surface of the 

 ground, when it is seized by the lapwing.^ 



Again,— 



A lady of Dr. E. Darwin's acquaintance saw a little bird re- 

 peatedly hop on a poppy stem, and shake the head with his bill, 

 till many seeds were scattered, when it settled on the ground 

 and picked up the seeds.' 



It is a matter of common remark that in countries 

 where vultures abound, these birds rapidly 'gather to- 

 gether where the carcass is,' although before the death of 

 their prey no bird was to be seen in the sky. The question 

 has always been asked whether the vultures are guided to 

 the carcass by their sense of smell or by that of sight ; but 

 this question is really no longer an open one. When Mr. 

 Darwin was at Valparaiso he tried the following experi- 

 ment. Having tied a number of condors in a long row, 

 and having folded up a piece of meat in paper, he walked 

 backwards and forwards in front of the row, carrying the 

 meat at a distance of three yards from them, 'but no 

 notice whatever was taken.' He then threw the meat 

 upon the ground, within one yard of an old male bird ; 

 ' he looked at it for a moment with attention, but then 

 regarded it no more.' With a stick he next pushed the 

 meat right under the beak of the bird. Then for the first 

 time the bird smelled it, and tore open the paper 'with 

 fury, and at the same moment every bird in the long row 

 began struggling and flapping its wings.' ^ Thus there 

 can be no doubt that vultiures do not depend on their sense 

 of smell for finding carrion at a distance. Nor is it myste- 

 rious why they should find it by their sense of sight. If 

 over an area of many square miles there are a number of 

 vultures flying as they do at a very high elevation, and if 



* Gleanings, &c., vol. i., p. 71. 



2 lUd. 



' Voyage of a Naturalist, kc, p. 184. 



