4374 TueE ZooLocist—M arcu, 1875. 
putrefaction; and, on the contrary, no sooner does the body become 
decomposed than vultures from all parts of the compass come down 
upon it;” and that “Mr. Waterton, speaking from his own know- 
ledge and experience in the tropics, says, ‘ Vultures, as far as I have 
been able to observe, do not keep together in a large flock when 
they are soaring up and down, apparently in quest of a tainted 
current.” 
I too have had opportunities of observing the habits of vultures 
(which do not hunt in flocks, though kites frequently do), and 
though I cannot say that they do not scent carrion at a con- 
siderable distance, if lying to windward, I feel confident that they, 
for the most part, are directed and guided to their quarry by sight, 
like the kite, buzzard, kestrel], and other species. In proof of this 
I may refer to my notes on a few of the birds of Southern India 
(Zool. 5745), wherein is described what came under my notice 
when deer-stalking, and from which I give an extract :—* As I lay 
perfectly motionless, the vultures, that had hitherto been eyeing 
me from a vast height, began gradually to descend, contracting 
their circular sweeps, till first one, and then another, alighted 
within a few yards of me.” But Dr. Bree says that “the tales of 
vultures appearing in flocks when a camel lies down exhausted 
must be taken cum grano salis.”. And Mr. Morris remarks, “I did 
not mean to say that they would thus come to an animal still 
living.” But why should Dr. Bree and Mr. Morris doubt the 
vulture’s power of giving the coup de grdce to the exhausted or 
dying camel, when we find the raven killing the Shetland pony? 
many a one, Dr. Saxby tells us, “ perishing miserably under its 
ruthless attacks.” That the vultures saw me long before I saw 
them there can be no question, nor am I in doubt as to their 
manner of hunting. On leaving their roosting quarters they soar 
aloft and spread themselves over the face of the country for miles 
around, still keeping within sight of each other. What may be 
their range of vision it is hard to say, but we may safely put it 
at two miles—a moderate calculation, too. As to the number of 
vultures collected about me, I have no recollection, but say a 
dozen; a line formed of that number would thus extend a distance 
of twenty-four miles. ‘he nearest vulture,—i. e. at two miles off,— 
observing a prostrate, death-like form, wings its way towards it, 
alighting on the ground at no great distance; the next bird, seeing 
the move, directs its flight accordingly ; and so on in succession, 
