252 OBSERVATIONS ON VULTURES 
and carrion crows assembled near a dead ox, at 
dusk of evening’, that had only two or three in 
morning, when some of the latter comers had prob*®^ 
travelled hundreds of miles, searching diligently tb e ' ^ 
selves for food, and probaldy would have had to, ’ 
much farther, had they not espied this associa 1 ' 1 ’^ 
Around the spot both species remain; some of ta f ^ 
examining the dead body, giving it a tug in those p®S 
most accessible, until putridity ensues. The aceitmH'*! ^ 
number then tall to work, exhibiting a most disgust) . 
picture of famished cannibals ; the strongest drit 1 ^ 
the weakest, and the latter harassing the former " 1 , 
all the power that a disappointed hungry stomach * , 
produce. They are seen jumping off the carf 1 ^. 
re-attacking it, entering it, and wrestling for jaort' 0 ' ^ 
partly swallowed by two or more of them, hissing * 
furious rate, and clearing every moment their noidy 
from the filth that enters there, and stops their bn'^ . 
ing. No doubt remains on my mind, that the gyjj 
outward dimensions of these nostrils were allotted t# 1 
for that especial and necessary purpose. 
“ The animal is soon reduced to a mere skeleton ! ( 
portion of it being now too hard not to be torn »)’ ^ 
and swallowed, leaving merely the hare hones. 
all these bloody feeders are seen standing gnrged> 11 {I 
scarcely ah to take wing. At such times the obs^';,, 
may approach very near the group, whilst engag*’,,* 
feeding, and see the vultures in contact with the wy 
who really, by smelling, have found the prey. ^ 
ever this happens, it is with the greatest reluct 1 ’ f, 
that the birds suffer themselves to be driven off, alth 1 ' 1 b| 
frequently the sudden scowl, or growl, of the dog? ' ^ 
cause nearly all the vultures to rise a few yards jt 
air. I have several times seen the buzzards feeding 
one extremity of the carcass, whilst the dogs 11 ^ 
tearing the other; hut, if a single wolf approach*' 1 ’ f) 
a pair of white-headed eagles, driven by extreme hu"*^ 
then the place is abandoned to them, until their wau* s .ys 
supplied. The repast finished, each bird gradually ’y,, 
to the highest branches of the nearest trees, and rent 
