THE ZooLocist—Marcnu, 1875. 4375 
the last, or twelfth, having a distance of twenty-four miles to cover. 
Tf chiefly guided by scent, how comes it that vultures soar at such 
a vast height—so high at times as to be barely discernible to our 
unaided vision? No! this altitude is gained that they may com- 
mand a wider range; whereas, if dependent on scent, they would 
' naturally skim the surface of the ground, seeing there is neither 
man nor beast to shun, on those dreary unfrequented plains, the 
habitat of antelopes and sand grouse. And as to their “soaring up 
and down in quest of a tainted current,” I cannot conceive that it 
would be found some thousand feet from the earth. By Dr. Bree’s 
own showing, scent lays Jow, for he says, “‘ We can have no doubt 
but that the wind will carry small particles of scent a considerable 
distance—quite far enough to be recognised by a dog many miles 
off.” As to the question having been “ settled for ever,” there may 
be two opinions about that. What mine was forty-seven years 
ago will be seen by the concluding remark—“ What the fate of a 
poor, sick or wounded creature might have been under similar 
circumstances, it is easy to conjecture.” And it does not appear, 
after all, that Mr. Waterton was so well acquainted with the habits 
of vultures, for he remarks, “as far as I have been able to 
observe.” 
It is said, “ No sooner does the body become decomposed than 
vultures from all parts of the compass come down upon it,” which 
goes far to prove what I maintain, that they are chiefly guided by 
sight. That a vulture might “pass within a very short distance of 
a dead body which is concealed, but not in a state of putrefaction,” 
is a likely thing to happen; but remove the “just expired mule” 
from the dense jungle to the open plain, and I will engage to say 
that “its bones will be picked clean,” and that, too, long before it 
becomes putrid: if the vulture had to wait for that it would get 
little enough to eat, as the jackal would have bared the bones and 
gnawed them “ clean.” 
Of the wonderful power of vision in birds we can have but 
slight conception, but that it is, in many species, tenfold greater 
than that of man, there can be no doubt, in proof of which I would 
refer to my note on the brownheaded gull (Zool. 9165), wherein it 
is remarked, “Their power of vision is almost incredible, for on 
throwing overboard small fragments of bread—the merest crumbs— 
they were instantly descried amid the foam, and pounced on with 
unerring aim.” The albatross, petrel, and other oceanic birds, will 
