On the groups of the VuUuridce. 377 



nation of JEgypius, These are well distinguished groups, as in- 

 deed are all the divisions of the acute and learned naturalist who 

 characterized them ; and according as the species of the family 

 become more accurately known, they must be adopted. But at 

 present so much confusion exists with respect to these species, 

 and so inaccurate is our knowledge of their minuter characters, 

 such, for instance, as the conformation of their tongue on which 

 M. Savigny with justice lays much stress as a ground of distinc- 

 tion, that it would be difficult to class any of them according to 

 his views, beyond the two well known species which he himself 

 examined. I refer only at present therefore to these groups as 

 sectional subdivisions, or more minute modifications of form of 

 the great genus Vultur ; it being my intention solely to give the 

 outlines of the leading forms in the family, with the view of point- 

 ing out the mode by which the sketch may be more easily filled 

 up hereafter, 



§§ Aberrant GROUP. General conformation weaker ; head 

 and neck less bare of feathers ; organs of smell less 

 developed. 



On leaving the birds which display the typical characters of the 

 family, we find some of these characters partially preserved, as is 

 usually the case, in the form which succeeds, and the transition of 

 one form into the other thus rendered less abrupt. The marked 

 character of size and muscular comformation which belongs to 

 the true Vultures is so far retained in the group on which we 

 now enter, or the genus 



Gypaetus, Storr, 

 as almost to induce us from its great dimensions and robust ap- 

 pearance to assign it a place in that subdivision of the family. 

 But the neck is entirely covered with feathers, and the head is 

 only partially bare ; while the bill is furnished with a tuft of 

 hairs which covers the naresj and which may thus be considered 

 as causing some deficiency in the acuteness of these organs. The 

 bill itself is somewhat weaker than in the preceding group ; and 

 the tarsi are short and feathered, thus also indicating a partial 

 decrease in strength. The first quill feather is not much in- 

 feriour to the second and third, which are equal and the longest 



