GRIFFON VULTURE. 305 



Order ACCIPITRIFORMES. 



Sub-order ACCIPITRES. 



The Accipitres are the diurnal birds of prey ; the bills are 

 strongly hooked, the raptorial feet, with three toes in front and 

 one behind, are armed with curved talons, and are fitted alike 

 for clutching prey or perching. 



Family VULTURID.E. Vultures. 



Griffon Yulture. Gyps fulvus (Hablizl). 



In 1843 a- Griffon Vulture was captured near Cork, and 

 Saunders vouches for another which was seen on the wing near 

 Southampton. The bird breeds in southern Europe, including 

 Spain, north Africa and western Asia. As it has wandered 

 to Holland, France and Germany, it is surprising that it has 

 only twice been noticed in our islands. Its great expanse of 

 wing, and the manner in which, when soaring at an immense 

 height, the primaries stand out like fingers, should render it 

 conspicuous, but except by the watchful ornithologist a bird 

 flying high is seldom noticed. The Griffon is a large buff- 

 brown bird, darker on the quills and tail, with featherless, 

 down-clad head and neck, and, in the adult bird, a large white 

 ruff. In birds which are not fully mature, probably until the 

 third year, the ruff is brownish. The under parts of the old 

 bird are streaked with buff. The bill is yellowish, the cere and 

 legs lead-blue ; the irides are reddish yellow. The male is the 

 larger bird. Length, 42-46 ins. Wing, 29 ins. Tarsus, 4-4 ins. 



Series I. X 



