4 SOCIABLE VULTURE. 



This gigantic species, (it measures upwards of ten 

 feet from tip to tip of wings,) is an object evidently- 

 designed for the purpose of cleansing the soil of Africa 

 from the putrid bodies of elephants, hippopotami, 

 rhinoceroses, and giraffes. It haunts the caverns of 

 rocks, and is altogether a mountain bird. • 



M. Le Vaillant had killed three zebras, and to carry 

 them away he ran to fetch his waggon, which was 

 scarcely three miles off; on his return he found nothing 

 but the bones of the zebras, upon which some hundreds 

 of Vultures had gorged themselves. One day he killed 

 a gazelle; left it stretched upon the ground, and hid 

 himself among the bushes. First there came to the 

 spot some crows, which flew above the gazelle croaking; 

 six minutes afterwards some kites and buzzards appeared, 

 then almost immediately raising his eyes, Le Vaillant 

 saw at an immense height a flock of Vultures (the 

 Oricou) gradually descending in concentric circles, and 

 seeming to come out of the vault of heaven. They 

 flew down upon the gazelle, and soon there were 

 hundreds of them; a shot put them to flight, and they 

 disappeared as they came. Thus the smaller birds of 

 prey first gave warning to the raptores of larger size; 

 these in their turn warned the brigands of a superior 

 order, and all took a share in the benefit of their 

 communications, which were more rapid than our tele- 

 graphic despatches. The prey having been torn in 

 pieces by the Vultures, the kites were able to seize 

 some pieces, and the small fragments left upon the 

 carcase of the victim were precious dainties for the 

 crows, who had given the warning. 



The Vultures themselves share the spoils of the lion 

 and tiger. AVhen one of these feline animals devours 

 its prey, the Oricou keeps in the, neighbourhood, and 



