Throughout all the countries that I had
traversed, these birds were in enormous numbers. The question has
been frequently discussed whether the vulture is directed to his
prey by the sense of smell, or by keenness of vision; I have paid
much attention to their habits, and, although there can be no
question that their power of scent is great, I feel convinced
that all birds of prey are attracted to their food principally by
their acuteness of sight. If a vulture were blind, it would
starve; but were the nostrils plugged up with some foreign
substance to destroy its power of smell, it would not materially
interfere with its usual mode of hunting. Scent is always
stronger near the surface of the ground; thus hyaenas, lions, and
other beasts of prey will scent a carcase from a great distance,
provided they are to leeward; but the same animals would be
unaware of the presence of the body if they were but a short
distance to windward.
If birds of prey trusted to their nostrils, they would keep as
near the ground as possible, like the carrion crow, which I
believe is the exception that proves the rule. It is an
astonishing sight to witness the sudden arrival of vultures at
the death of an animal, when a few moments before not a bird has
been in sight in the cloudless sky.
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