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. When one of these feline animals devours 
its prey, the Oricou keeps in the neighbourhood, and 
