86 



VULTURES. 



This is a fact, which I have on several occasions, in the course of 

 my travels, experienced on the part of vultures, whether of the present 

 species, or of others which will be described hereafter ; for all voracious 

 carnivorous animals mix with each other under such circumstances. 

 The first time I was their dupe was at a time when I was labouring 

 under a scarcity of provisions, and, consequently, the lesson which they 

 gave me made a very sensible impression. I had killed three zebras : 

 satisfied with my sport I returned to my camp, from which 1 was at a 

 league's distance, and ordered a wagon to bedespatched to bring them 

 away. My Hottentots, better informed than myself, told me, that the 

 journey appeared to them quite useless, as the zebras would be de- 

 voured before our return. However, we set forth ; but we had not 

 advanced far, before we saw afar off the air filled with vultures. At 

 our arrival, we found them strewed over the plain ; the zebras were de- 

 voured ; the only remaining vestiges of them were large bones ; vultures 

 moreover were still arriving, and on all sides there was an astonishing 

 assemblage of these animals in motion, of which I could reckon more 

 than a thousand. It was curious to observe with what rapidity such 

 an immense number of vultures could be so soon collected. I one day 

 hid myself in a bush, after having killed a large gazelle, and left it on 

 the spot. In an instant crows came, and, croaking loudly,- jumped 

 upon the animal ; in less than a quarter of an hour, hawks and buzzards 

 arrived ; a moment afterwards, raising up my head, I perceived birds 

 at a prodigious height, and, which, wheeling around, were rapidly de- 

 scending. I was not long in recognising them to be vultures. From 

 their appearance one might have supposed that they had escaped from a 

 cavern in the sky. The first were not slow in pouncing upon the 

 gazelle; I did not allow them time to tear it piecemeal; I hopped out of 

 my hiding place ; they heavily retook to flight and rejoined their com- 

 panions, who were visibly increasing in number, and who seemed to fall 

 from the clouds to participate in the prey ; but my presence quickly 

 caused them all to disappear in the air. 



The following seems to me to be the way in which vultures are called 

 to share in any prey : the first carnivorous birds, which discover a 

 carcase, give an alarm to the others in the vicinity, as much by their 

 screams as by their movements. If the nearest vulture should not ob- 

 serve the prey, from the high region of the air in which he is floating, 

 he discerns, at least, the inferior land birds of prey who are preparing 

 to feast on it ; but it may be the vulture's sight is sharp enough to dis- 



