Dead Animals, to find.—­The converging flight of crows, and gorged vultures sitting on trees, show where dead game is lying; but it is often very difficult to find the carcase; for animals usually crawl under some bush or other hiding-place, to die.  Jackal-tracks, etc., are often the only guide.  It may be advisable, after an unsuccessful search, to remove to some distance, and watch patiently throughout the day, until the birds return to their food, and mark them down.

Rank Birds.—­When rank birds are shot, they should be skinned, not plucked; for much of the rankness lies in their skin; or, if unskinned, they should be buried for some hours, because earth absorbs the oil that makes them rank.  Their breast and wings are the least objectionable parts, and, if there be abundance of food, should alone be cooked.  Rank sea-birds, when caught, put in a coop, and fed with corn, were found by Captain Bligh to become fat and well-tasted.

Skins.—­All old hides or skins of any kind that are not tanned are fit and good for food; they improve soup by being mixed with it; or they may be toasted and hammered.  Long boiling would make glue or gelatine of them.  Many a hungry person has cooked and eaten his sandals or skin clothing.

Bones contain a great deal of nourishment, which is got at by boiling them, pounding their ends between two stones, and sucking them.  There is a revolting account in French history, of a beseiged garrison of Sancerre, in the time of Charles IX., and again subsequently at Paris, and it may be elsewhere, digging up the graveyards for bones as sustenance.

Blood from Live Animals.—­The Aliab tribe, who have great herds of cattle on the White Nile, “not only milk their cows, but they bleed their cattle periodically, and boil the blood for food.  Driving a lance into a vein in the neck, they bleed the animal copiously, which operation is repeated about once a month.” (Sir S. Baker.)

Flesh from Live Animals.—­The truth of Bruce’s well-known tale of the Abyssinians and others occasionally slicing out a piece of a live ox for food is sufficiently confirmed.  Thus Dr. Beke observes, “There could be no doubt of the fact.  He had questioned hundreds of natives on the subject, and though at first they positively declared the statement to be a lie, many, on being more closely questioned, admitted the possibility of its truth, for they could not deny that cattle are frequently attacked by hyaenas, whose practice is to leap on the animals from behind and at once begin devouring the hind quarters; and yet, if driven off in time, the cattle have still lived.”—­Times, Jan. 167.