18 



THE VULTURE. 



away by an explosion, I will carefully gather up the 

 shattered olfactory parts, and do my best to restore 

 them to their original shape and beautiful propor- 

 tions. In repairing the vulture's nose, I shall not 

 imitate old Taliacotius, who, in times long past and 

 gone, did 



" from 



The brawny part of porter's bum 

 Cut supplemental noses, which 

 Would last as long as parent breech ! " 



but I will set to work upon my own resources, and 

 then the reader shall decide whether the vulture is 

 to have a nose or to remain without one. 



We all know what innumerable instances there 

 are, in every country, of the astonishing powers of 

 scent in quadrupeds. Thus, the bloodhound will 

 follow the line of the deer-stealer hours after he has 

 left the park ; and a common dog will ferret out his 

 master in a room, be it ever so crowded. He is 

 enabled to do this by means of the well-known ef- 

 fluvium which, proceeding from his master's person, 

 comes in contact with his olfactory nerves. A man 

 even, whose powers of scent are by no means re- 

 markable, will sometimes smell you a putrid carcass 

 at a great distance. Now, as the air produced by 

 putrefaction is lighter than common air, it will as- 

 cend in the atmosphere, and be carried to and fro 

 through the expanse of heaven by every gust of 

 wind. The vulture, soaring above, and coming in 

 contact with this tainted current, will instinctively 

 follow it down to its source, and there find that which 



