196 MAMMALIA. [Cuar. VI. 
agony and affliction, the little fellows seized on every 
article of food that was thrown to them, and ate and 
roared simultaneously. 
Amongst the last of the elephants noosed was the 
rogue. Though far more savage than the others, he 
joined in none of their charges and assaults on the fences, 
as they uniformly drove him off and would not permit 
him to enter their circle. When dragged past another 
of his companions in misfortune, who was lying exhausted 
on the ground, he flew upon him and attempted to fasten 
his teeth in his head; this was the only instance of 
viciousness which occurred during the progress of the 
corral. When tied up and overpowered, he was at first 
noisy and violent, but soon lay down peacefully, a sign, 
according to the hunters, that his death was at hand. 
Their prognostication was correct; he continued for 
about twelve hours to cover himself with dust like the 
others, and to moisten it with water from his trunk; but 
at length he lay exhausted, and died so calmly, that 
having been moving but a few moment before, his death 
was only perceived by the myriads of black flies by which 
his body was almost instantly covered, although not one 
was visible a moment before! The Rodiyas were called 
1 The surprising faculty of vul- 
tures for discovering carrion, has 
been a subject of much speculation, 
as to whether it be dependent on 
their power of sight or of scent. 
It is not, however, more mysterious 
than the wnerring certainty and 
rapidity with which some of the 
minor animals, and more especially 
insects, in warm climates congre- 
gate around the offal on which 
they feed. Circumstanced as they 
are, they must be guided towards 
their object mainly if not exclu- 
sively by the sense of smell; but 
that which excites astonishment is 
the small degree of odour which 
seems to suffice for the purpose; 
the subtlety and rapidity with 
which it traverses and impregnates 
the air; and the keen and quick 
perception with which it is taken 
up by the organs of those creatures. 
The instance of the scavenger 
beetles has been already alluded 
to; the promptitude with which 
they discern the existence of matter 
suited to their purposes, and the 
