THE SOCIABLE VULTURE. Ill 



of an hour these birds were reinforced by the arrival 

 of kites and buzzards ; and immediately afterwards I 

 perceived, on raising my head, a flight of birds at a 

 prodigious height, wheeling round and round in their 

 descent. These I soon recognised to be Vultures, which 

 seemed, if I may so express myself, to escape from a 

 cavern in the sky. The first comers fell immediately 

 upon the gazelle, but I did not allow them time to tear 

 it in pieces. I left my concealment, and they betook 

 themselves slowly and heavily to flight, rejoining their 

 comrades, whose numbers continued to increase. They 

 seemed almost to precipitate themselves from the clouds 

 to share the spoil, but my presence caused them speedily 

 to disappear. Thus it is then that the Vultures are 

 called upon to participate in their prey : the first carni- 

 vorous birds that discover a carcase rouse the others 

 which may happen to be in the environs by their cries 

 and by their motions. If the nearest Vulture does not 

 spy his prey from the lofty region of the air in which 

 he swims by means of his wide-spread wings, he per- 

 ceives at least the subaltern and more terrestrial birds 

 of prey preparing to take possession of it ; but perhaps 

 he has himself a sufficient power of \ision to enable 

 him to discover it. He descends hastily and with a 

 wheeling flight, and his fall directs the other Vultures 

 who witness his evolutions, and who no doubt have 

 their instinct sharpened with regard to every thing that 

 concerns their food. A concourse of carnivorous birds 

 speedily takes place in the neighbourhood of the car- 

 case, sufficient to attract the Vultures of the whole 

 district, nearly in the same manner as the disturbance 

 created by a number of men running along the streets 

 of a crowded town attracts the whole population to 

 follow in their train." 



The present species is not met with in the vicinity of 

 the Cape ; but is very common in the interior, especi- 



