4612 Tue ZooLoGIsT—SEPTEMBER, 1873. 
parts of the world, and various facts which seem to bear on their 
geographical range, we may arrive at something like an approxi- 
mation of the number which may not unreasonably be looked for 
in Smith Sound. Yet, making the most liberal allowance, this 
number cannot be raised above 36,* and to these 36 species—should 
attention be particularly directed—how much further in the direc- 
tion of the Pole any of them may go it is of course impossible to 
forecast. The principal features by which each may be distin- 
guished have been briefly noticed by me, and, I trust, in a way that 
may lead to an easy and correct determination even by those 
observers who are not professed naturalists. 
Magdalene College, Cambridge, 
20 March, 1875. 
Notes on the Natural History of South Africa. 
By R. B. and J. D. S. Woopwarp, of Natal. 
(Continued from §, 8, 4553.) 
Vultures.—Captain Hadfield, in an excellent article entitled 
“ Olfactory Powers of the Vulture” (Zool. S. S. 4373), disputes the 
opinions of Mr. Waterton and Dr. Bree, who maintain that the 
vulture discovers its prey entirely by scent. As far as our own 
experience goes, we can quite corroborate your correspondent’s 
theory. The evidence adduced by Mr. Waterton seems to us very 
inconclusive; tainted currents, as is well known, do not rise far above 
the surface of the earth, and they would be dispersed long before 
they could be perceived by a bird at such an enormous altitude. 
We have observed that the carcase of a dead animal will be left to 
rot in the bush under cover without attracting the vultures in the 
neighbourhood ; on the other hand, we have proof that vultures do 
not only feed on fresh meat, but will even attack or kill young or 
weak animals. Every one knows how far the power of vision in 
the Falconide surpasses that of human sight: we have often been 
struck with the astonishing facility by which hawks sight their 
prey-—locusts, mice, and other small animals, almost concealed by 
the long grass—whilst hovering aloft. No doubt a flock of vultures 
1T am quite aware that this allowance is too great, but I think it best to err on 
the safe side. If the Expedition meets with thirty species in Smith Sound it will 
surpass expectation, The number of species, including stragglers, at present known 
to haye occurred in Spitsbergen does not exceed thirty. 
a 
