Remembering the experiments of M.Audubon, on the little smelling powers of carrion-hawks, I tried in the above-mentioned garden the following experiment: the condors were tied, each by a rope, in a long row at the bottom of a wall; and having folded up a piece of meat in white paper, I walked backwards and forwards, carrying it in my hand at the distance of about three yards from them, but no notice whatever was taken.

I then threw it on the ground, within one yard of an old male bird; he looked at it for a moment with attention, but then regarded it no more.

With a stick I pushed it closer and closer, until at last he touched it with his beak; the paper was then instantly torn off with fury, and at the same moment, every bird in the long row began struggling and flapping its wings.

Under the same circumstances it would have been quite impossible to have deceived a dog.

The evidence in favour of and against the acute smelling powers of carrion-vultures is singularly balanced.