XVI 
RHINO CEROS 
IOI 
which vultures will consume a large animal when 
it has been divested of the skin. Should a 
buffalo die, these birds are helpless, as they can 
only work at the eyes, and beneath the tail, the 
hide resisting their attack until decomposition 
shall have commenced; but, when skinned, a 
cloud of these repulsive birds will settle upon the 
carcase, and it disappears in much less than half 
an hour. This is the case in Abyssinia, where 
vultures are more numerous than in any portion 
of the globe which I have visited. 
Many years ago there was a long and inter¬ 
esting discussion in the Field respecting the 
power of sight or scent in directing the vulture 
to its prey. Of course, views were expressed 
upon opposing sides; one declared that the bird 
discovered its food by sight, others pronounced 
in favour of guidance by scent alone. 
Common - sense would suggest that a bird 
which soars at such an enormous height that it is 
frequently invisible to the naked eye would not 
ascend without a purpose, as there can be no food 
attraction in the great wilderness of space. What 
is that purpose? It is to obtain an extensive 
held of observation upon the world beneath. If 
a bird hunted by scent, it would assuredly remain 
as near as possible upon the surface to obtain that 
scent, instead of soaring in an opposite direction, 
where the strongest smell could never be detected. 
I have tried the experiment practically, many 
times. 
