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 
