Renting carrion at great distances. 251 
[J at the power of smelling' in these birds has been 
«, Ss ly exaggerated, and that, if they can smell objects 
f at >y distance they can see the same objects much 
[Her. I would ask any observer of the habits of 
H, why, if vultures could smell at a great distance 
prey, they should spend the greater portion of 
L 6lr lives hunting for it, when they are naturally so 
f?, that, if they are fed in one place, they never will 
t ' l Ve jt . an d merely make such a change as is absolutely 
i, c s$ary to enable them to reach it. But I trill now 
?*«r on' their habits, and you will easily discover how 
' s far famed power has originated. 
, ’ Vultures are gregarious, and often associate in llocks 
jf f'Vent.y, forty, or more; hunting thus together, they 
v ill s i n :p t () f each other, and thus cover an immense 
jWt of country. A flock of twenty may easily survey 
ar ea of two miles, as they go turning m large circles, 
. '"a insuectino- each other in their lines, as it forming 
>t chain of rounded links ; some are high, whilst 
>er s are i ow , no t a spot is passed unseen; and, 
are iow ; uou a i'"- ' , . ' 
frequently, the moment that a prey is discovered, 
k® favoured bird rounds to, and, by the impetuosity of 
Movements, gives notice to its nearest companion, 
> immediatefv follows him, and is successively 
i •‘tided hy all the rest. Thus, the farthest from the 
‘Werer beiivr at a considerable distance, sails in a 
fc'jfot line towards the spot indicated to him by the 
* °f the others, who all have gone in a straight 
In- s<! before him, with the appearance of being impelled 
, ■ this extraordinary power of smelling, so erroneously 
them. If the object discovered is large, lately 
c a d, and covered with a skin too tough to be ate, and 
a 1 '* 1 asunder, and afford free scope to their appetite, 
Stcniain about it, and in the neighbourhood. Perched 
high, dead limbs in such conspicuous positions are 
tj s,| y seen hy other vultures, who, through habit know 
V Waning of such stoppages, and join the first Hock, 
«> also directly, and affording farther evidence to 
( ^ persons who are satisfied with appearances only. 
tl 'is manner I have seen several hundreds of vultures 
