scenting carrion at great distances. 247 
I visited the Southern States, and had lived, as 
' Vl ‘re, amongst these vultures for several years, and 
"'"covered, thousands of times, that they did not smell 
when I approached them, covered by a tree, until 
Vl thi n a few feet; and that when so near, or at a 
^ater distance, I shewed myself to them, they 
'""fontly flew away much frightened, — the idea evapo- 
and I assiduously engaged in a series of experi- 
ments, to prove to myself, at least, how far this 
^“teness of smell existed, or if it existed at all. 
“ I sit down to communicate to you the results of 
Sse experiments, and leave for you to conclude how 
.f. and how long, the world has been imposed on by 
"e mere assertions of men who had never seen more 
• l >ati the skins of our vultures, or heard the accounts 
Vn men caring little about observing nature closely. 
“ My First Experiment was as follows : — I procured 
" skin of our common deer, entire to the hoots, and 
lifted it carefully with dried grass until filled rather 
^ove the natural size — suffered the whole to become 
fleetly dry, and as hard as leather — took it to the 
"^ddle of a large open field — laid it down on its back 
"ith the legs up and apart, as if the animal was dead 
""<1 putrid. 1 then retired about a few hundred yards, 
"N, in the lapse of some minutes, a vulture, coursing 
",? u nd the 'field tolerably high, espied the skin, sailed 
. Wectly towards it, and alighted within a few yards of 
ri- I Van immediately, covered by a large tree, until 
"'thin about forty yards, and from that place could spy 
wo bird with case. He approached the skin — looked 
it without apparent suspicion — jumped on it— - 
prised his tail, and voided itself freely, (as you well 
""ow all birds of prey in a wild state generally do 
before feeding,) then approaching the eyes, that were 
"ere solid «lobes of hard, dried, and painted clay, 
"‘tanked first one, and then the other, with, however, 
5? farther advantage than that of disarranging them, 
fobs part was abandoned ; the bird walked, to the other 
ejc tremity of the pretended animal, aiul there, with 
**hich exertion, tore the stitches apart, until much 
