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ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE 
issue of the worm from its hole, which, alarmed at the shaking 
of the ground, endeavours to make its escape, when it is imme- 
diately seized, and becomes the prey of the ingenious bird. The 
lapwing also frequents the haunts of moles, which, when in 
pursuit of worms on which they feed, frighten them, and the 
worm, in attempting to escape, comes to the surface of the 
ground, when it is seized by the lapwing . 1 
Again, — 
A lady of Dr. E. Darwin’s acquaintance saw a little bird re 
peatedly hop on a poppy stem, and shake the head with his bill, 
till many seeds were scattered, when it settled on the ground 
and picked up the seeds . 2 
It is a matter of common remark that in countries 
where vultures abound, these birds rapidly 6 gather to- 
gether where the carcass is,’ although before the death of 
their prey no bird was to be seen in the sky. The question 
has always been asked whether the vultures are guided to 
the carcass by their sense of smell or by that of sight ; but 
this question is really no longer an open one. When Mr. 
Darwin was at Valparaiso he tried the following experi- 
ment. Having tied a number of condors in a long row, 
and having folded up a piece of meat in paper, he walked 
backwards and forwards in front of the row, carrying the 
meat at a distance of three yards from them, 6 but no 
notice whatever was taken.’ He then threw the meat 
upon the ground, within one yard of an old male bird ; 
6 he looked at it for a moment with attention, but then 
regarded it no more.’ With a stick he next pushed the 
meat right under the beak of the bird. Then for the first 
time the bird smelled it, and tore open the paper ‘with 
fury, and at the same moment every bird in the long row 
began struggling and flapping its wings .’ 3 Thus there 
can be no doubt that vultures do not depend on their sense 
of smell for finding carrion at a distance. Nor is it myste- 
rious why they should find it by their sense of sight. If 
over an area of many square miles there are a number of 
vultures flying as they do at a very high elevation, and if 
1 Gleanings , &c., vol. i., p. 71. 
2 Ibid. 
3 Voyage of a Naturalist , &c., p. 184 
