"See! yonder are some coming from the eastward.

Now, as the butte is between them and the big-horn, how is it possible they could have seen it ?" "I do not say they have; but they have seen others, who have seen others, who in their turn have seen others, who actually _have_ seen the carrion." "Oh! I understand; you mean that some one or more have first spied it; and, while making towards it, have been observed by others at a greater distance; and those again who have followed them have been followed by others still more distant, and so on." "Precisely so; and this at once accounts for the fabulous stories of vultures scenting carrion at the distance of miles--none of which stories are true, but have been propagated by men who, perhaps, never saw a vulture in the air, but who, in order to make their books amusing, have readily adopted the exaggerated tales of every Munchausen they could meet with." "Your theory is certainly the more probable one." "It is the true one.

It has been proved to be so by numerous experiments with vultures; all of which have gone to show, that these birds have anything but a keen sense of smell.

On the contrary, it is remarkably weak; and I think it is well for them it is so, considering the sort of food they live upon." "This flock must have gathered from all parts," remarked Francois; "we see them coming in from every point of the compass.

No doubt some of them have travelled fifty miles." "As likely an hundred," rejoined Lucien.