Thus, The Marabou Stork Would Be Farthest
From The Earth; The Large Bare-Necked Vulture Would Be The Next
Below Him, Followed By The Red-Faced Vulture, The Buzzard, And
The Crow That Is Generally About The Surface.
From their immense
elevation, the birds of prey possess an extraordinary field of
vision; and, although they are invisible from the earth, there
can be no doubt that they are perpetually hunting in circles
within sight of each other.
Thus, should one bird discover some
object upon the surface of the earth below, his sudden pounce
would be at once observed and imitated by every vulture in
succession. Should one vulture nearest the earth perceive a body,
or even should he notice the buzzards collecting at a given
point, he would at once become aware of a prey; his rush towards
the spot would act like a telegraphic signal to others, that
would be rapidly communicated to every vulture at successive airy
stations.
If any animal be skinned, the red surface will attract the
vultures in an instant; this proves that their sight, and not
their scent, has been attracted by an object that suggests blood.
I have frequently watched them when I have shot an animal, and my
people have commenced the process of skinning. At first, not a
bird has been in sight, as I have lain on my back and gazed into
the spotless blue sky; but hardly has the skin been half
withdrawn, than specks have appeared in the heavens, rapidly
increasing. "Caw, caw," has been heard several times from the
neighbouring bushes; the buzzards have swept down close to my
people, and have snatched a morsel of clotted blood from the
ground. The specks have increased to winged creatures, at the
great height resembling flies, when presently a rushing sound
behind me, like a whirlwind, has been followed by the pounce of
a red-faced vulture, that has fallen from the heavens in haste
with closed wings to the bloody feast, followed quickly by many
of his brethren. The sky has become alive with black specks in
the far-distant blue, with wings hurrying from all quarters. At
length a coronet of steady, soaring vultures, forms a wide circle
far above, as they hesitate to descend, but continue to revolve
around the object of attraction. The great bare-necked vulture
suddenly appears. The animal has been skinned, and the required
flesh secured by the men; we withdraw a hundred paces from the
scene. A general rush and descent takes place; hundreds of hungry
beaks are tearing at the offal. The great bare-necked vulture
claims respect among the crowd; but another form has appeared in
the blue sky, and rapidly descends. A pair of long, ungainly
legs, hanging down beneath the enormous wings, now touch the
ground, and Abou Seen (father of the teeth or beak, the Arab name
for the Marabou) has arrived, and he stalks proudly towards the
crowds, pecking his way with his long bill through the struggling
vultures, and swallowing the lion's share of the repast.
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